Felix Collins

Felix Collins MHA, is a Canadian educator, lawyer and politician from Newfoundland and Labrador, and a former Attorney General. Collins served as the member of the House of Assembly for Placentia—St. Mary’s from 2006 to 2015 for the Progressive Conservatives.

Felix Collins
Minister of Intergovernmental and Aboriginal Affairs of
Newfoundland and Labrador
In office
October 19, 2012 – 2014
Preceded byNick McGrath
Succeeded byKeith Russell
Minister of Justice and Attorney General of
Newfoundland and Labrador
In office
October 2009 – October 19, 2012
Preceded byTom Marshall
Succeeded byDarin King
Member of the Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly
for Placentia - St. Mary's
In office
February 21, 2006 – November 30, 2015
Preceded byFabian Manning
Succeeded bySherry Gambin-Walsh
Personal details
BornSt. Anne's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada
Political partyProgressive Conservative
ResidenceMount Pearl

Collins entered cabinet in 2009 being appointed Minister of Justice and Attorney General. In 2012, he became Minister of Intergovernmental and Aboriginal Affairs. The following year Collins left cabinet when his portfolio was merged with other departments, only to re-enter cabinet months later when he was named Attorney General by Premier Tom Marshall.[1] Collins also served as Attorney General in the Davis government. Collins was a notable figure in the Bill 29, Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act debate in 2012.[2][3]

Education

Collins graduated from Memorial University of Newfoundland with a bachelor of arts degree in education in 1964 and a bachelor of arts degree in 1968. He completed is masters in education in 1972 at the University of Boston. In 1995, Collins completand a bachelor of laws degree from the University of Ottawa.[4]

Career

Collins worked as a school principal, teacher, coordinator and a superintendent of education until retirement in 1992, at which time he entered law school. In April 1996, he was called to the Newfoundland Bar and is a member of the Law Society of Newfoundland, he practiced law in St. John’s until 2007.[4]

Politics

Collins was Mayor of the Town of Placentia for sixteen years and a member of the Placentia Council for nineteen years. He was chairperson of the first Joint Councils of the Placentia area and served as Chairperson of the Placentia Area Recreation Commission. He was one of the founding directors of the Placentia Health Care Board, and served eight years as its vice-president. He served six years on the Board of Directors of Marine Atlantic.

In February 2006, Collins was elected to the Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly for the District of Placentia—St. Mary’s in a by-election, replacing Fabian Manning who had been removed from the Progressive Conservative caucus. Collins was re-elected in the 2007 provincial election.

Collins is a member of the Progressive Conservative Party and as Member of the House of Assembly (MHA) he served as Deputy Chair of Committees, Chair of the Elections and Privileges Committee, and a Member of the Public Accounts Committee. He has also served as Legislative Advisor to the Minister of Natural Resources and as Commissioner for the St. John’s Urban Region (Agricultural) Development Area Boundary Review. In a cabinet shuffle in October 2009, Premier Danny Williams appointed him to serve as Newfoundland and Labrador's Minister of Justice and Attorney General.

Collins remained Justice Minister and Attorney General under Premier Kathy Dunderdale until October 19, 2012, when he was demoted and became Minister of Intergovernmental and Aboriginal Affairs.[5] Following the 2013, provincial budget, which saw major spending cuts throughout government, it was announced that Collins' cabinet post would be eliminated. Effective June 1, 2013, Premier Dunderdale would take over the Intergovernmental Affairs portfolio, while an Office of Labrador and Aboriginal Affairs would be created.[6] Collins was succeeded by MHA Keith Russell as Labrador and Aboriginal Affairs Minister in 2014.

Collins returned as Attorney General from March 2015 to December 2015 following the removal of Judy Manning.[7]

He did not run for re-election in the 2015 provincial election.

Election results
2011 Newfoundland and Labrador general election[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Progressive ConservativeFelix Collins2,51649.86%–
     NDP Trish Dodd 1,475 29.23%
LiberalTodd Squires1,05520.91%
Total 100.0%
2007 Newfoundland and Labrador general election[9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Progressive ConservativeFelix Collins3,08679.17%–
     NDP Jennifer Coultas 812 20.83%
Total 3,098 100.0%
Newfoundland and Labrador provincial by-election, February 21, 2006: Placentia—St. Mary’s
Party Candidate Votes%
Progressive ConservativeFelix Collins2,24746.3
IndependentNick Careen1,64133.8
LiberalKevin Power93119.2
Newfoundland and Labrador FirstTom Hickey310.6
Total 4,850
By-election called upon the resignation of Fabian Manning
Source(s)
"Results of February 21 by election in Electoral District of Placentia & St. Mary's". Government of Newfoundland and Labrador - Office of the Chief Electoral Officer. Feb 24, 2006. Retrieved 18 November 2020.

References
  1. "Premier Announces Changes to Cabinet". Government of Newfoundland and Labrador. 29 January 2014. Retrieved 2 May 2014.
  2. Antle, Rob (Jun 11, 2012). "N.L. law to clamp down on access to information". CBC News. Retrieved Nov 15, 2020.
  3. "Emotions run high amid 'racism' talk in N.L. access debate". CBC News. June 14, 2012. Retrieved Nov 15, 2020.
  4. "Felix Collins Biography". Progressive Conservative Party Website. Archived from the original on 19 April 2012. Retrieved 5 July 2011.
  5. "Dunderdale shuffles the deck". Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. 19 October 2012. Retrieved 26 May 2018.
  6. McLeod, James (5 April 2013). "Felix Collins unsure about future as premier cuts cabinet". The Charter. Archived from the original on 28 June 2013. Retrieved 28 April 2013.
  7. "David Cochrane: Inside the Judy Manning fiasco". CBC News. Mar 14, 2015. Retrieved Nov 15, 2020.
  8. "Provincial General Election Report" (PDF). Elections Newfoundland and Labrador. Oct 11, 2015. p. 19. Retrieved 18 November 2020.
  9. "Provincial General Election Report" (PDF). Elections Newfoundland and Labrador. Oct 9, 2007. p. 33. Retrieved 18 November 2020.
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