Seamus O'Regan

Seamus Thomas Harris O'Regan PC MP (born January 18, 1971) is a Canadian politician who has been the federal minister of labour since October 26, 2021. A member of the Liberal Party, O'Regan was elected to the House of Commons in 2015, representing St. John's South—Mount Pearl. He has been in Cabinet since 2017, previously serving as minister of natural resources from 2019 to 2021, minister of Indigenous services in 2019, and minister of veterans affairs and associate minister of national defence from 2017 to 2019. Before he entered politics, O'Regan was a correspondent with CTV National News, and a host of Canada AM, which he co-hosted from 2003 to 2011 with Beverly Thomson.[3]

The Honourable
Seamus O'Regan Jr.
PC MP
O'Regan in June 2018
Minister of Labour
Assumed office
October 26, 2021
Prime MinisterJustin Trudeau
Preceded byFilomena Tassi
Minister of Natural Resources
In office
November 20, 2019 – October 26, 2021[1]
Prime MinisterJustin Trudeau
Preceded byAmarjeet Sohi
Succeeded byJonathan Wilkinson
Minister of Indigenous Services
In office
January 14, 2019 – November 20, 2019
Prime MinisterJustin Trudeau
Preceded byJane Philpott
Succeeded byMarc Miller
Minister of Veterans Affairs
Associate Minister of National Defence
In office
August 28, 2017 – January 14, 2019
Prime MinisterJustin Trudeau
Preceded byKent Hehr
Succeeded byJody Wilson-Raybould
Member of Parliament
for St. John's South—Mount Pearl
Assumed office
October 19, 2015
Preceded byRyan Cleary
Personal details
Born
Seamus Thomas Harris O'Regan

(1971-01-18) January 18, 1971
St. John's, Newfoundland, Canada
Political partyLiberal
SpouseSteve (Stelios) Doussis
ResidenceSt. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador[2]
Alma materSt. Francis Xavier University (BA)
University College Dublin (Dipl.)
Darwin College, Cambridge (MPhil)
OccupationPolitician, News reporter, Broadcaster

Early life and education

O'Regan was born in St. John's, Newfoundland, and spent 14 years growing up in Goose Bay, graduating from Goose High School. O'Regan is of half Irish descent. His father, also named Seamus O'Regan, was a judge of the Supreme Court of Newfoundland and Labrador.[4] At the age of 10, O'Regan became a regional correspondent for CBC Radio's Anybody Home?, producing stories that celebrated the unique accomplishments of local residents, ranging from a professor hunting for giant squid to one woman's fight against leukemia.

He studied politics at St. Francis Xavier University in Antigonish, Nova Scotia, and at University College Dublin in Dublin, Ireland. He studied marketing strategies at INSEAD, an international business school near Paris, France. He received his Masters of Philosophy in Politics from the University of Cambridge, studying at Darwin College in Cambridge, England.[5]

Career

He has worked as an assistant to Environment Minister Jean Charest in Ottawa and to Justice Minister Edward Roberts in St. John's, and was policy advisor and speechwriter to Premier Brian Tobin of Newfoundland and Labrador.[6] In December 1999, O'Regan was named as one of Maclean's 100 Young Canadians to Watch in the 21st century.[3]

In 2000, O'Regan joined talktv's current affairs program, the chatroom. He began his duties at Canada AM on December 19, 2001. On November 8, 2011, he announced that he would be leaving Canada AM on November 24, 2011, to become a correspondent for CTV National News.[3] O'Regan left CTV in 2012.[7] Since leaving CTV he has occasionally been a fill-in host on radio station CFRB in Toronto, ⁣[8] and worked on independent television productions and as a media innovator in residence at Ryerson University.[8][9] O'Regan also served as the executive vice president for communications of the Stronach Group.[9]

Political career

In September 2014, O'Regan was nominated as the Liberal Party candidate in the Newfoundland and Labrador riding of St. John's South—Mount Pearl for the 2015 federal election.[10] On October 19, 2015, O'Regan won the election, defeating New Democrat incumbent Ryan Cleary.[11][12] He was appointed to the cabinet on August 28, 2017, as the minister of veterans affairs[13] and on January 14, 2019, was made the minister of Indigenous services, vacating his previous post.

He was re-elected in the 2019 federal election. Following the election, he was appointed minister of natural resources. He was re-elected again in the 2021 federal election.[14]

Personal life

On July 9, 2010, O'Regan married his longtime partner, Steve Doussis, in Newfoundland.[15]

O'Regan serves on the Boards of Katimavik, Canada's leading youth service-learning programme, and The Rooms, which houses the provincial art gallery, museum, and archives of Newfoundland and Labrador. He also sits on the board of directors for fellow Newfoundlander Allan Hawco's theatre company, The Company Theatre, located in Toronto.

In January 2016, O’Regan announced that he entered an alcoholism rehabilitation program.[16][17]

In November 2017, he was hospitalized in Ottawa for a major gastrointestinal obstruction.[18]

Shortly after the November 2020 death of his father Seamus Bernard O'Regan (1942–2020), Natural Resources Canada announcements began to give his name as Seamus O'Regan Jr.; previous announcements did not use the "Jr." suffix.[19][20][21]

Electoral record
2021 Canadian federal election: St. John's South—Mount Pearl
Party Candidate Votes%±%Expenditures
LiberalSeamus O'Regan19,47856.17+5.07$92,438.10
New DemocraticRay Critch8,11323.40-3.38$25,603.86
ConservativeSteve Hodder6,44718.59-0.50$8,313.27
People'sGeorgia Faith Stewart6381.84–none listed
Total valid votes/expense limit 34,67698.82+0.25$105,099.33
Total rejected ballots 4141.18-0.25
Turnout 35,09053.00-8.42
Registered voters 66,201
Liberal hold Swing +4.21
Source: Elections Canada[22][23]
2019 Canadian federal election: St. John's South—Mount Pearl
Party Candidate Votes%±%Expenditures
LiberalSeamus O'Regan20,79351.13−6.73$58,125.56
New DemocraticAnne Marie Anonsen10,89026.78−9.98$25,130.37
ConservativeTerry Martin7,76719.10+14.53$56,978.54
GreenAlexandra Hayward7401.82+1.01$0.00
People'sBenjamin Ruckpaul3350.82–none listed
Christian HeritageDavid Jones1410.35–none listed
Total valid votes/expense limit 40,66698.57 $100,487.58
Total rejected ballots 5921.43+1.13
Turnout 41,25861.42−5.71
Eligible voters 67,170
Liberal hold Swing +1.62
Source: Elections Canada[24]
2015 Canadian federal election: St. John's South—Mount Pearl
Party Candidate Votes%±%Expenditures
LiberalSeamus O'Regan25,99257.86+29.16$124,533.70
New DemocraticRyan Cleary16,46736.76–9.58$98,225.69
ConservativeMarek Krol2,0474.57–19.64$24,331.40
GreenJackson McLean3650.81+0.09–
Total valid votes/expense limit 44,801100.00 $201,093.98
Total rejected ballots 1330.30
Turnout 44,93467.13
Eligible voters 66,936
Liberal gain from New Democratic Swing +19.37
Source: Elections Canada[25][26]

References
  1. Catharine Tunney (26 October 2021). "Anand to Defence, Joly to Foreign Affairs: Trudeau announces major cabinet shakeup". CBC News. Retrieved 5 January 2023.
  2. "Official Voting Results". Elections Canada. Retrieved 23 January 2021.
  3. "Seamus O'Regan joining CTV National News as correspondent". CTV News. 8 November 2011. Archived from the original on 31 March 2012. Retrieved 9 November 2011.
  4. Dyer, Evan (20 September 2015). "Mulcair, Trudeau cross swords in Newfoundland where NDP and Liberals are in battle". CBC News. Retrieved 20 September 2015.
  5. "Seamus O'Regan, Correspondent, CTV National News". CTV. Retrieved 13 January 2012.
  6. "Seamus O'Regan - Summary Profile". National Speakers Bureau. Retrieved 12 December 2011.
  7. "Seamus O'Regan to run for Liberals in St. John's". CTV News. 12 August 2014. Retrieved 18 August 2014.
  8. "Seamus O'Regan: Mental health spokesman" Archived 2014-08-19 at the Wayback Machine. The Grid, June 23, 2014.
  9. Canadian Press (18 August 2014). "Seamus O'Regan seeks federal Liberal nomination in Nfld". Maclean's. Retrieved 8 September 2015.
  10. "Seamus O'Regan takes Liberal nomination in St. John's South-Mount Pearl". CBC News. 23 September 2014. Retrieved 22 October 2015.
  11. "Seamus O'Regan upsets Ryan Cleary for Liberal win in St. John's South-Mount Pearl". CBC News. 20 October 2015. Retrieved 22 October 2015.
  12. "Liberals sweep all 7 N.L. ridings in federal election". CBC News. 19 October 2015. Retrieved 22 October 2015.
  13. "Indigenous Affairs department split, Seamus O'Regan new veterans minister in cabinet shakeup". CBC News. 27 August 2017. Retrieved 27 August 2017.
  14. "Federal election 2021 live results".
  15. Takeuchi, Craig (8 November 2011). "CTV anchor Seamus O'Regan to leave Canada AM for CTV National News". The Georgia Straight. Vancouver Free Press Publishing Corporation. Retrieved 13 November 2015.
  16. "Liberal MP Seamus O'Regan checks into wellness program seeking 'alcohol free lifestyle'". The Globe and Mail. The Canadian Press. 3 January 2016. Retrieved 4 January 2016.
  17. "Seamus O'Regan draws from his own personal struggles as Veterans Affairs Minister". Retrieved 31 March 2020.
  18. "VOCM - Minister O'Regan Still in Hospital, Will Attend Remembrance Ceremony". Archived from the original on 10 November 2017.
  19. Maher, David (20 November 2020). "Justice Seamus O'Regan, a pillar of Newfoundland and Labrador's justice system, died this week at age 79". The Telegram. Retrieved 18 January 2021.
  20. "Canada Raising Awareness for Electric Vehicles in Newfoundland and Labrador". Natural Resources Canada (press release). 13 January 2021. Retrieved 13 January 2021. The Honourable Seamus O'Regan Jr., Canada's Minister of Natural Resources, today announced[...]
  21. "Celebrating Indigenous Leadership in Clean Energy". Natural Resources Canada (press release). 22 December 2020. Retrieved 13 January 2021. The Honourable Seamus O'Regan, Canada's Minister of Natural Resources, today announced[...]
  22. "Confirmed candidates — St. John's South—Mount Pearl". Elections Canada. Retrieved 20 September 2021.
  23. "Candidate Campaign Returns". Elections Canada. Retrieved 19 July 2022.
  24. "Results Validated by the Returning Officer". Elections Canada. Retrieved 25 October 2019.
  25. "October 19, 2015 Election Results — St. John's South—Mount Pearl (Validated results)". Elections Canada. 21 October 2015. Retrieved 24 October 2015.
  26. Elections Canada – Preliminary Election Expenses Limits for Candidates
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