Tony Wakeham

The Honourable
Tony Wakeham
MHA ECNL
Wakeham in 2022
16th Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador
Incumbent
Assumed office
October 29, 2025
MonarchCharles III
Lieutenant GovernorJoan Marie Aylward
DeputyBarry Petten
Preceded byJohn Hogan
Leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Newfoundland and Labrador
Incumbent
Assumed office
October 14, 2023[1]
Preceded byDavid Brazil (interim)
Leader of the Opposition in Newfoundland and Labrador
In office
October 14, 2023 – October 29, 2025
Preceded byDavid Brazil
Succeeded byJohn Hogan
Member of the Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly
for Stephenville-Port au Port
Incumbent
Assumed office
May 16, 2019
Preceded byJohn Finn
Personal details
Born (1956-07-16) July 16, 1956[2]
Placentia, Newfoundland, Canada
PartyProgressive Conservative
SpousePatricia Wakeham
Children2
Alma materMemorial University of Newfoundland
Occupation
  • Politician
  • businessman
  • public servant
Websitewww.tonywakeham.ca

Tony Wakeham (born July 16, 1956) is a Canadian politician and businessman who has served as the 16th premier of Newfoundland and Labrador since 2025. He has represented Stephenville-Port au Port in the Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly since 2019, and has served as the leader of the Newfoundland and Labrador Progressive Conservative Party since 2023.[3][4]

Life and early career

Tony Wakeham was born on July 16, 1956, in Placentia, Newfoundland and Labrador, to James and Mary Wakeham. His father worked at Naval Station Argentia and his mother was a teacher.[2] After attending Laval High School in Placentia, Wakeham graduated from Memorial University of Newfoundland with a Bachelor of Arts in 1979. He played basketball during his time at Memorial. Wakeham is married to his wife, Patricia, and has 2 children.[5]

Prior to entering politics, Wakeham was the CEO of Labrador-Grenfell Health Authority, was a franchisee of many KFC restaurants[6][7] and has served as the president of both the Newfoundland and Labrador Basketball Association and Basketball Canada. He has also worked as a public servant in the provincial government and as a basketball coach.

Political career

In 2018, Wakeham ran for the leadership of the Progressive Conservative Party of Newfoundland and Labrador, but was defeated by St. John's lawyer Ches Crosbie. The final tally was Crosbie with 2,298.92 and Wakeham with 1,701.08 points respectively.[8][9][10]

On January 17, 2023, Wakeham announced he would be a candidate in the 2023 provincial PC leadership election.[11] He won the election on October 14, 2023 and became Leader of the Opposition.[12]

Premier (2025–present)

Wakeham led his party to a majority government in the 2025 Newfoundland and Labrador general election, in a major political upset.[13] He was re-elected in his own seat of Stephenville-Port au Port, and will be the first Progressive Conservative premier of the province since 2015. Primarily campaigning on affordability and healthcare, Wakeham promised to conduct an independent review and a referendum on the Churchill Falls memorandum of understanding.[14][15][16] He formed the Wakeham ministry on October 29, 2025, following his swearing-in.[17]

Churchill Falls Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)

On December 12, 2024, Churchill Falls negotiations culminated in the signing of a historic Memorandum of Understanding by Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro, Hydro-Québec, and CFLCo. The agreement was publicly announced by Premier Andrew Furey and Québec Premier François Legault as a transformative new partnership intended to replace the 1969 contract seventeen years before its expiry. Following the announcement, a special session of the House of Assembly was held in January 2025 to examine the MOU in detail. On January 9, 2025, the House voted in favour of continuing negotiations toward definitive agreements with Hydro-Québec. The motion passed with support from Liberal, New Democratic Party, and Independent members, while Progressive Conservative members left the chamber before the vote, arguing that a more independent review was required before further commitments were made.[18][19]

The direction of the project changed significantly following the 2025 provincial election, which brought Wakeham's PCs to power. The new government had campaigned on concerns regarding the MOU and promised a more rigorous assessment before approving any final agreements. On December 15, 2025, Wakeham established the Churchill River Independent Review Committee (IRC), chaired by Chris Huskilson and including Guy Holburn and Michael Wilson. The committee was tasked with determining whether the MOU was in the best long-term interests of Newfoundland and Labrador and was empowered to conduct a comprehensive examination of both the content of the agreement and the negotiation process that produced it.[20]

The IRC delivered its final report on April 30, 2026, and its conclusions profoundly reshaped the public conversation. Although the committee recognized substantial financial and economic benefits associated with the MOU, it concluded that the agreement "in its current form is not in the public interest." The committee identified a number of concerns, including limited long-term access to Churchill Falls power for Newfoundland and Labrador after 2041, lack of guaranteed transmission access through Québec to reach external markets, problematic pricing structures, governance arrangements that continued to provide significant influence to Hydro-Québec, and risks associated with the proposed Gull Island ownership model. The committee estimated that the real net present value of the agreement was approximately $31 billion rather than the nominal $227 billion frequently highlighted by government communications. Nevertheless, the IRC acknowledged that the proposed agreement could generate meaningful benefits if significant improvements were made.[21]

Following release of the report, Premier Wakeham stated that the province would not abandon development of Churchill Falls and Gull Island but would instead seek material improvements through renewed negotiations. A new negotiating team consisting of Barry Perry, Jerome Kennedy, and Jennifer Williams was appointed, and discussions resumed with Hydro-Québec during the summer of 2026. One of the most significant issues identified by the IRC was Newfoundland and Labrador's inability under the original MOU to secure guaranteed transmission rights through Hydro-Québec's network to external markets. During meetings between Premier Wakeham and Québec Premier Christine Fréchette, negotiators focused heavily on addressing this deficiency.[22][23]

By August 2026, reports emerged that a revised agreement was close to completion. According to sources familiar with negotiations, the proposed replacement for the 2024 MOU would include guaranteed transmission access of approximately 985 MW through Hydro-Québec's network, enabling Newfoundland and Labrador to market electricity directly into other jurisdictions. Former deputy minister Ron Penney described the provision as a significant departure from the original MOU because the earlier agreement had not secured guaranteed access to Québec's transmission system. This development directly addressed one of the most important concerns raised by the Independent Review Committee and reflected the evolving effort to ensure that Newfoundland and Labrador could maximize the long-term value of Churchill River resources while avoiding some of the limitations that had characterized both the 1969 contract and aspects of the original 2024 MOU.[24][25]

Electoral history

Leadership elections

2023 Progressive Conservative Party of Newfoundland and Labrador leadership election
Point allocation by ballot
Candidate Ballot 1 Ballot 2
Name Votes Votes
Tony Wakeham1,816
45.4%		2,091
52.0%
Eugene Manning1,636
40.9%		1,909
48.0%
Lloyd Parrott548
13.7%		Eliminated
Total Points4,000.004,000.00
2018 Progressive Conservative Party of Newfoundland and Labrador leadership election Point allocation by ballot
Candidate Ballot 1
Name Points
Ches Crosbie2,298.92
57.47%
Tony Wakeham1,701.08
42.53%
Total points4,000.00

Provincial elections

2025 Newfoundland and Labrador general election: Stephenville-Port au Port
Party Candidate Votes%±%
Progressive ConservativeTony Wakeham3,82076.29+16.63
LiberalJeff Young1,04420.85-17.00
New DemocraticSusan Jarvis1432.86+0.38
Total valid votes 5,007
Total rejected ballots
Turnout
Eligible voters
Progressive Conservative hold Swing +16.81
[26]
2021 Newfoundland and Labrador general election: Stephenville-Port au Port
Party Candidate Votes%±%
Progressive ConservativeTony Wakeham2,48159.67+9.36
LiberalKevin Aylward1,57437.85-11.83
New DemocraticJamie Ruby1032.48
Total valid votes 4,15899.59
Total rejected ballots 170.41
Turnout 4,17543.41
Eligible voters 9,618
Progressive Conservative hold Swing +10.60
Source(s)
"Officially Nominated Candidates General Election 2021" (PDF). Elections Newfoundland and Labrador. Retrieved March 3, 2021.
"NL Election 2021 (Unofficial Results)". Retrieved March 27, 2021.
2019 Newfoundland and Labrador general election
Party Candidate Votes%±%
Progressive ConservativeTony Wakeham2,51250.3+25.0
LiberalJohn Finn2,48149.7-15.1
Total valid votes
Total rejected ballots
Turnout
Eligible voters

References

  1. ↑ Whitten, Elizabeth (October 14, 2023). "Tony Wakeham wins PC leadership, setting stage for next election". CBC News.
  2. 1 2 Boyko, John M. (2025). "Tony Wakeham". The Canadian Encyclopedia. Retrieved November 28, 2025.
  3. ↑ "Here are all the MHAs elected in the Newfoundland and Labrador election". CBC News. March 27, 2021.
  4. ↑ "Cabinet ministers Letto and Hawkins among 9 defeated Liberals". CBC News Newfoundland and Labrador, May 17, 2019.
  5. ↑ https://ca.news.yahoo.com/quick-sketch-n-l-progressive-203128196.html
  6. ↑ "Liberals on the offensive, while PCs promise big in Stephenville-Port au Port showdown". www.cbc.ca. May 9, 2019. Archived from the original on May 10, 2019. Retrieved January 15, 2022.
  7. ↑ "Tony Wakeham enters PC leadership race | The Telegram". www.thetelegram.com. December 5, 2017.
  8. ↑ "Tony Wakeham launches PC leadership quest with promises of new ideas, rebuilding confidence in party - Newfoundland & Labrador - CBC News". www.cbc.ca. Archived from the original on December 6, 2017. Retrieved January 15, 2022.
  9. ↑ "The new leader of the Progressive Conservative party in N.L. has a familiar last name". CBC News. April 28, 2018. Retrieved April 29, 2018.
  10. ↑ "Ches Crosbie is the new leader of Newfoundland and Labrador's PC party". The Telegram. April 28, 2018. Retrieved May 2, 2018.
  11. ↑ Moore, Mike (January 17, 2023). "MHA Tony Wakeham makes bid for PC Party's leadership". CBC News. Retrieved January 17, 2023.
  12. ↑ "Tony Wakeham wins PC leadership, setting stage for next election". CBC News. October 14, 2023. Retrieved October 14, 2023.
  13. ↑ "Liberals and Tories in tight race as polls close in Newfoundland and Labrador election". The Globe and Mail. October 14, 2025. Retrieved October 14, 2025.
  14. ↑ Corkum, Trevor (October 15, 2025). "Churchill Falls Could Make Newfoundland and Labrador Rich—or Break It Again". The Walrus. Retrieved April 1, 2026.
  15. ↑ "Newfoundland and Labrador 2025 live results". CBC News. Retrieved October 14, 2025.
  16. ↑ "Wakeham Claims PC Party Leadership With Second-Ballot Victory". VOCM News. October 14, 2023. Retrieved October 14, 2023.
  17. ↑ "After big win, big challenges await premier-designate Tony Wakeham". CBC News. October 15, 2025. Retrieved November 2, 2025.
  18. ↑ "PCs walk before vote, but Churchill Falls MOU gets support of most MHAs following four-day debate". CBC News. January 10, 2025. Retrieved August 14, 2026.
  19. ↑ "Historic Resolution on Memorandum of Understanding on Churchill Falls Passes". Government of Newfoundland and Labrador. January 10, 2025. Retrieved August 14, 2026.
  20. ↑ "Premier Wakeham Announces Independent Review into Memorandum of Understanding with Hydro-Quebec". Government of Newfoundland and Labrador. December 15, 2025. Retrieved August 14, 2026.
  21. ↑ "Creating Long-Term Value from the Churchill River for the People of Newfoundland and Labrador: Report by the Churchill River Independent Review Committee". Government of Newfoundland and Labrador. April 30, 2026. Retrieved August 14, 2026.
  22. ↑ "Churchill Falls MOU not in the public interest, committee finds". CBC News. May 19, 2026. Retrieved August 14, 2026.
  23. ↑ "Liberal critic says N.L. running out of time on MOU deal as Wakeham, Fréchette meet in P.E.I." CBC News. July 21, 2026. Retrieved August 14, 2026.
  24. ↑ "New Churchill Falls deal between N.L. and Quebec being finalized: sources". CBC News. August 12, 2026. Retrieved August 14, 2026.
  25. ↑ "'A big change': New Churchill Falls deal would let N.L. sell power through Quebec's network to other markets". CBC News. August 13, 2026. Retrieved August 14, 2026.
  26. ↑ https://newsinteractives.cbc.ca/elections/newfoundland-labrador/2025/results/#/riding/27312
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