Kathy Dunderdale facts for kids

Quick facts for kids The Honourable Kathy Dunderdale
10th Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador
In office December 3, 2010 – January 24, 2014
Monarch	Elizabeth II
Lieutenant Governor	John Crosbie Frank Fagan
Preceded by	Danny Williams
Succeeded by	Tom Marshall
Member of the Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly for Virginia Waters
In office October 21, 2003 – February 28, 2014
Preceded by	Walter Noel
Succeeded by	Cathy Bennett
Minister of Natural Resources of Newfoundland and Labrador
In office July 5, 2006 – December 6, 2010
Preceded by	Ed Byrne
Succeeded by	Shawn Skinner
Deputy Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador
In office October 31, 2008 – December 3, 2010
Preceded by	Tom Rideout
Succeeded by	Steve Kent
Minister of Innovation, Trade and Rural Development of Newfoundland and Labrador
In office November 6, 2003 – July 5, 2006
Preceded by	Judy Foote
Succeeded by	Trevor Taylor
Personal details
Born	Kathleen Mary Margaret Warren February 1952 (age 73) Burin, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada
Political party	Progressive Conservative
Residence	St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador

Kathleen Mary Margaret "Kathy" Dunderdale (born February 1952) is a Canadian politician. She was the tenth premier of Newfoundland and Labrador from December 3, 2010, to January 24, 2014. A premier is like the leader of a province or territory. Dunderdale was also a Member of the House of Assembly (MHA), which is like a provincial Member of Parliament.

Kathy Dunderdale was born and grew up in Burin, Newfoundland and Labrador. Before she became a politician, she worked in community development, communications, and social work. She also worked in the fishing industry. Her first step into politics was on the Burin town council, where she was the deputy mayor. She was also involved with the Progressive Conservative Party.

In the 2003 election, Dunderdale was elected as an MHA for Virginia Waters. She was re-elected in 2007 and 2011. She served in the government of Danny Williams, holding important jobs like Minister of Natural Resources and Deputy Premier. When Williams stepped down, Dunderdale became premier. She led her party to victory in the 2011 election. Kathy Dunderdale was the first female premier in Newfoundland and Labrador's history. She was also the sixth woman to be a premier in all of Canada.

About Kathy Dunderdale

Kathy Dunderdale, whose birth name was Kathleen Mary Margaret Warren, was born in February 1952. She grew up in Burin, Newfoundland and Labrador, with her parents, Alice and Norman. She was one of 11 children. She finished high school in 1970.

After high school, Dunderdale went to Memorial University of Newfoundland to study social work. However, she left university to get married. She met her husband, Captain Peter Dunderdale, in 1972. He was a British ship captain. They had two children, a son named Tom and a daughter named Sarah. Kathy stayed home to raise her children while her husband traveled for work.

When her children were older, she started working in many volunteer roles. In the early 1980s, she helped save a fish plant in Burin from closing. This plant is still open today. She also worked as a social worker and helped with a board for fishers after the cod fishing was stopped.

Dunderdale served on the Burin town council and worked with groups like the local school board. She also led the Progressive Conservative Party of Newfoundland and Labrador. After her husband retired, she helped with his consulting company. In 1997, she helped start the Women in Resource Development Corporation (WRDC). This group helps women get jobs in trades and technology in Newfoundland and Labrador.

In 1995, she and her husband moved to St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador. Kathy Dunderdale still lives there today. Her husband passed away in 2006 at age 56.

Kathy Dunderdale's Political Journey

Kathy Dunderdale was elected to the Burin town council in 1985. She served as deputy mayor from 1989 to 1993. She also became the first female president of the provincial Federation of Municipalities.

In 1993, Dunderdale ran for a seat in the provincial election in the district of Fortune-Hermitage. She ran against a Liberal cabinet minister. Even though she knew she might not win, she wanted to send a message to the premier about how towns were being treated.

Becoming an MHA and Minister

In the 2003 election, Dunderdale was elected as a Member of the House of Assembly (MHA). She won by a large number of votes. After the election, she joined the cabinet as Minister of Innovation, Trade and Rural Development. A cabinet is a group of top advisors to the premier.

On July 5, 2006, she became the Minister of Natural Resources. She was re-elected in the 2007 election with a very high percentage of votes. She stayed as Natural Resources Minister. On October 31, 2008, she was also named Deputy Premier and Minister Responsible for the Status of Women.

From February to March 2010, Dunderdale was the acting Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador. This happened while Premier Williams was away for heart surgery.

Working as Natural Resources Minister

As Minister of Natural Resources, Kathy Dunderdale helped negotiate important deals for the province. These deals involved billions of dollars for oil and energy projects.

On August 20, 2008, Dunderdale, Premier Williams, and oil companies signed a deal to develop the Hebron oil field. This is the second largest oil field off the province's coast. It was expected to bring in at least $20 billion in money for the province and create up to 3,500 jobs.

Less than a year later, on June 16, 2009, they announced a deal to expand the Hibernia oil field. This expansion was expected to add $13 billion to the province's money.

On November 18, 2010, Dunderdale and Premier Williams announced a $6.2 billion agreement. This was for the first part of the Lower Churchill Project. This project would develop the 824 megawatts Muskrat Falls hydroelectric power. Power from Labrador would travel to the island of Newfoundland through an underwater link. Another underwater link would bring power to Nova Scotia. Newfoundland and Labrador would use 40 percent of the power. This would allow them to shut down an oil-burning power station. The rest of the power would be sold to other areas.

Becoming Premier

On December 3, 2010, Kathy Dunderdale became the tenth Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador. She took over after Premier Williams retired. She was the first female Premier in the province's history. On December 6, 2010, Dunderdale changed some cabinet roles. She appointed a new Minister of Natural Resources.

Leading the Party

After becoming premier, Dunderdale first said she would not run to be the permanent leader of the Progressive Conservative Party. However, she later changed her mind. On December 30, 2010, she announced she would run for the party leadership. All the other politicians in her party supported her.

She was the only person to run for the leadership after another candidate was found to be ineligible. So, on April 2, 2011, Kathy Dunderdale was officially named the leader of the Progressive Conservative Party.

The 2011 Election

On September 19, 2011, Dunderdale called a provincial election for October 11, 2011. Her party was very popular in the polls, and she was expected to win.

Dunderdale's party promised to continue freezing university tuition fees. They also planned to change student loans into grants that students wouldn't have to pay back. Other promises included reducing a payroll tax and investing in public pension funds. They also wanted to continue paying down the province's debt and improve health care wait times.

Map showing the partisan support and margins within electoral districts

On election night, the Progressive Conservatives won 37 out of 48 seats. The Liberal Party won six seats, and the NDP won five. With this win, Dunderdale became only the third woman in Canadian history to lead a party to victory in a general election.

On October 28, 2011, Dunderdale's new cabinet was sworn in. She reduced the number of cabinet members from 19 to 16. She also reorganized some government departments. For example, she created a new Department of Advanced Education and Skills.

Solving Labour Disputes

When Dunderdale became premier, she faced a disagreement between the province's doctors and the government. Doctors were resigning because they felt their pay offer was not enough. Dunderdale quickly asked her ministers to meet with the doctors' association. Within days, they reached a deal that included better pay for doctors. Most of the doctors who had resigned then returned to their jobs.

Dunderdale also helped end a year-long strike involving 15 home care workers. Her government reached an agreement with the workers within five days of her taking office.

Later, in September 2013, her government reached agreements with the province's largest public sector unions. These deals included a wage freeze for the first two years, followed by small pay increases. Full-time employees also received a signing bonus.

Energy Plans

A major focus for Dunderdale as premier was the Muskrat Falls hydro development. She asked the Prime Minister for support with a loan guarantee for the project. This guarantee would lower the project's cost and lead to lower electricity rates. The loan guarantee was finalized in November 2012. In December 2012, Dunderdale announced that the Muskrat Falls hydro development was officially approved.

Dunderdale also promoted the idea of a national energy plan for Canada. This plan would include an east-west power grid across the country. She believed provinces should not block economic development for other provinces based on their location.

Changes in Education

Dunderdale's government reorganized education departments. Post-secondary education (colleges and universities) moved to a new Department of Advanced Education and Skills. The Department of Education would focus on K-12 education (kindergarten to grade 12) and libraries.

K-12 Education

In 2013, Dunderdale's government announced that the province's four English school boards would combine into one. This was because student numbers had dropped. The government faced some criticism for this change. However, they said there would be no reduction in the number of regular classroom teachers. They also stated that Newfoundland and Labrador had the best student-teacher ratio in the country.

Post-Secondary Education

Since 2003, the government had frozen tuition fees at public colleges and universities. This made Newfoundland and Labrador have the lowest tuition fees in Canada. Dunderdale's party promised to continue this freeze. They also planned to replace student loans with grants that students wouldn't have to pay back.

The 2013 budget included a plan to review Memorial University and the College of the North Atlantic (CNA). The budget also cut funding to CNA and changed some of its programs. For example, a high school equivalency program for adults would be moved out of CNA and offered by private groups. This was because it cost much more to offer the program at CNA.

Money Matters (Fiscal Policy)

During the time before Dunderdale became premier, the province's economy grew a lot, mainly because of the offshore oil industry. The province started having large money surpluses. However, government spending also increased a lot.

Dunderdale's first budget saw spending increase. It included tax credits and a rebate on home heating fuel. The province was expected to have a surplus. However, the province's debt was also expected to increase due to long-term financial promises. Later, the surplus for 2011-2012 was much higher than expected, and the overall debt actually fell.

In February 2012, Dunderdale said that the days of big spending were over. She stated that her government would be more careful with money. She wanted to reduce the province's debt to the Canadian average. The 2012 budget was delivered in April 2012. It was not as strict as some had expected. Government spending still increased slightly.

The government expected oil prices to be high, but lower oil production meant the province would have a deficit. A deficit means spending more money than you bring in. Dunderdale later announced cuts to travel and leaving some jobs unfilled because oil prices dropped.

In January 2013, Dunderdale changed her cabinet. Jerome Kennedy, known as a tough negotiator, became the new Finance Minister. He warned that the province could face a very large deficit if spending was not controlled. The 2013 budget projected a deficit and cut about 1,200 public sector jobs.

Fishing Industry Policy

During Dunderdale's time as premier, the Fisheries Minister position changed hands several times. This led to criticism that the government didn't have a clear plan for the fishing industry.

In February 2011, Dunderdale's government rejected a report that suggested a big reduction in the fishing industry. The report said it would cost $450 million, which the government felt was too expensive.

During the 2011 election, Dunderdale said there were too many people fishing and too many fish processing plants. She said some plants would need to close. After the election, she shuffled her cabinet and appointed a new Fisheries Minister.

In February 2012, the government stopped funding the Fish, Food and Allied Workers union (FFAW). The minister said this was because the union criticized the government too much.

Minimum Processing Rules

Fish caught off Newfoundland and Labrador must be processed to a certain level in provincial plants. This is called "minimum processing requirements" (MPRs). The goal is to create more jobs and money for the province.

In November 2011, a company called Ocean Choice International (OCI) said they were losing money operating their fish plants. They asked the government for permission to export unprocessed fish. In return, they would create more jobs at their plant in Fortune. The government rejected this idea in February 2012.

Later, in October 2012, workers at the Fortune fish plant voted to allow OCI to ship raw fish to China for processing. This was in exchange for 110 full-time jobs. The union representing the workers was against this. Dunderdale changed her cabinet again, appointing a new Fisheries Minister. In December 2012, the government allowed OCI to ship some of its fish overseas for processing. In return, OCI promised 236 year-round jobs.

Trade Agreement with Europe (CETA)

Minimum processing requirements also became an issue in talks for a trade agreement between Canada and the European Union (CETA). Dunderdale said that the federal government tried to pressure her to remove MPRs to help secure the trade deal. She refused to link the two issues.

On October 18, 2013, the government announced its support for the CETA agreement. The agreement would remove MPRs for the European Union three years after the deal is approved. In return, high taxes and limits on almost all fish would be removed right away. Dunderdale said her government refused an earlier deal that would have removed MPRs immediately. Her government believed European countries could not compete with Newfoundland and Labrador fish plants due to higher costs.

On October 29, 2013, Dunderdale announced that the federal and provincial governments would invest $400 million into the fishing industry. This money was compensation for removing the minimum processing requirements for the European Union. The money would be used for things like research, marketing, and improving fishing facilities.

Access to Information

In June 2012, Dunderdale's government introduced a new law called Bill 29. This law changed how the public could get information from the government. Critics said it made it harder to get information. For example, it allowed the government to keep ministerial briefings secret and ignore requests they thought were "frivolous." It also increased fees and extended deadlines.

Many people protested the bill. An expert on access-to-information laws said the changes would make the province rank lower than some developing countries. However, Newfoundland and Labrador's information commissioner said the bill was not bad.

On September 13, 2012, a long-time politician from Dunderdale's party, Tom Osborne, left the party. He said Dunderdale's leadership and the debate over Bill 29 were the reasons. He had voted for the bill but did not support it.

In October 2012, Dunderdale changed her cabinet again. The minister responsible for Bill 29 was moved to a different role. Dunderdale also created the Office of Public Engagement. This new office would help with communication and access to information.

Office of Public Engagement

The Office of Public Engagement was created on October 19, 2012. It includes offices for rural affairs, non-profit groups, youth engagement, and access to information. The minister responsible for this office announced that the government was looking at putting restaurant inspection reports online. This happened after a media outlet had to pay a lot of money to get these reports. On November 22, 2012, the government announced that health and sanitation reports for restaurants were now available online.

Personal Security

On February 7, 2011, Dunderdale's office announced that police bodyguards were protecting her. This was due to several incidents since she became premier. The police felt it was necessary to assign security. Dunderdale said she was hesitant about having a bodyguard but respected the police's decision.

Resignation

On January 22, 2014, Kathy Dunderdale announced that she would resign as Premier on January 24, 2014. She said, "Just as you know when it's time to step up, you also know when it is time to step back, and that time for me is now." Her resignation followed a politician leaving her party and months of low approval in public opinion polls.

Her Finance Minister, Tom Marshall, became the interim premier. On February 28, 2014, Dunderdale resigned as the MHA for Virginia Waters. This ended her ten-and-a-half-year career in provincial politics. She later returned to community work as a volunteer coordinator.

Election Results

Here are the results from the elections Kathy Dunderdale ran in:

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  Map showing the partisan support and margins within electoral districts