Joe Ghiz facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Joe Ghiz
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| 27th Premier of Prince Edward Island | |
| In office May 2, 1986 – January 25, 1993 |
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| Monarch | Elizabeth II |
| Lieutenant Governor | Lloyd MacPhail Marion Reid |
| Preceded by | James Lee |
| Succeeded by | Catherine Callbeck |
| Leader of the Prince Edward Island Liberal Party | |
| In office October 24, 1981 – January 23, 1993 |
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| Preceded by | Gilbert Clements (interim) |
| Succeeded by | Catherine Callbeck |
| MLA (Assemblyman) for 6th Queens | |
| In office September 27, 1982 – March 29, 1993 |
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| Preceded by | Barry Clark |
| Succeeded by | Jeannie Lea |
| 12th Dean of Dalhousie Law School | |
| In office 1993–1995 |
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| Preceded by | Philip Girard |
| Succeeded by | Dawn Russell |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Joseph Atallah Ghiz
January 27, 1945 Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada |
| Died | November 9, 1996 (aged 51) Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada |
| Political party | Liberal |
| Spouse |
Rose Ellen McGowan
(m. 1972) |
| Children | Robert and Joanne |
| Alma mater |
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| Occupation | Lawyer, Crown prosecutor, academic administrator, and judge |
| Profession | Politician |
| Cabinet | Minister of Health and Social Services (1986) Minister of Agriculture (1988–1989) Minister of Justice (1989–1993) |
Joseph Atallah Ghiz (born January 27, 1945 – died November 9, 1996) was an important Canadian politician and lawyer. He served as the 27th leader of Prince Edward Island, called the Premier, from 1986 to 1993. Later, he became a judge on the Supreme Court of Prince Edward Island from 1995 until his death.
Joe Ghiz was also the father of Robert Ghiz, who later became the 31st Premier of Prince Edward Island. Joe Ghiz made history as the first Premier of a Canadian province who was not of European background.
Contents
Early Life and Family
Joe Ghiz was born in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island. His father, Atallah Joseph Ghiz, owned a corner store and was from Lebanon. His mother was Marguerite F. Ghiz.
Joe Ghiz studied law at two famous universities: Dalhousie Law School and Harvard Law School. Before he entered politics, he worked as a lawyer in Charlottetown.
Working on Canada's Constitution
Joe Ghiz was very involved with the Canadian Bar Association, which is a group for lawyers. In 1977, after the Parti Québécois government was elected in Quebec (a group that wanted Quebec to separate from Canada), he joined a special committee. This committee was asked to study and suggest changes to the Constitution of Canada.
The committee had members from every province in Canada. It included people who would later become important leaders, like two future provincial premiers (Ghiz and Clyde Wells), a future Supreme Court of Canada judge, and a future Canadian Ambassador to the United Nations. In 1978, the committee suggested many big changes for Canada's constitution.
Political Journey
Joe Ghiz became the president of the Prince Edward Island Liberal Party in 1977. Then, in 1981, he became the party's leader. His party did not win the election in 1982, but Ghiz was elected to the provincial legislature. This meant he became the leader of the opposition, which is the head of the main party not in power.
In 1986, he led his party to a big victory. The Liberals won 20 seats, while the Progressive Conservative Party of Prince Edward Island won 11.
The Fixed Link Debate
In January 1988, Premier Ghiz announced that people on Prince Edward Island would vote on a "fixed link" to mainland Canada. This was a very important and often debated topic in PEI during the late 1900s. A "fixed link" meant building a bridge or tunnel to connect the island to the rest of Canada. Later in his life, Ghiz said that he personally voted against building the fixed link.
National Politics
Ghiz supported the Meech Lake Accord, which was an attempt to change Canada's constitution. He also opposed the Canada–United States Free Trade Agreement, which was a deal to allow easier trade between Canada and the United States. His involvement in these national debates made him a well-known figure across Canada.
His government was re-elected in 1989, winning 30 out of 32 seats in the legislature. Many people believe this big win happened because of public reaction to the federal government's decision to close CFB Summerside, a military base on the island. After this, Ghiz's government agreed to a $200 million deal for highway construction. In return, the provincial government allowed CN Rail, a federal railway company, to stop railway service in PEI.
Ghiz believed that Quebec should be given special agreements in constitutional talks. He also campaigned for the Charlottetown Accord, another attempt to change the constitution. However, this accord was defeated in a public vote in 1992. Ghiz resigned as Premier three months after the accord was defeated.
Later Life and Legacy
After leaving politics, Joe Ghiz became the dean of his old law school, the Dalhousie Law School. He held this position until 1995. In 1995, he was appointed as a judge on the Supreme Court of Prince Edward Island.
Sadly, Joe Ghiz died from cancer in 1996. A few weeks before he passed away, construction workers drove him across the largest completed part of the Confederation Bridge. At that time, the bridge was not yet fully connected to the mainland.
His son, Robert Ghiz, followed in his footsteps and became the 31st Premier of Prince Edward Island. He served from 2007 to 2015. This was only the second time in PEI's history that both a father and son served as Premier. The other father-son pair were Thane Campbell (1936–1943) and his son Alexander B. Campbell (1966–1978).
