ST. JOHN’S – A look at Tony Wakeham, leader of the Newfoundland and Labrador Progressive Conservatives, who hopes to unseat Liberal Leader John Hogan.
The Progressive Conservatives held 14 of 40 seats in the provincial legislature before Hogan called a general provincial election for Oct. 14.
Before politics: Born in 1956 in Placentia, N.L., Wakeham worked in the public and private sectors for more than three decades before he entered politics. He is a former chief executive officer of the Labrador-Grenfell Health, which was the region’s health authority. He has also worked in the province’s auditor general’s office.
Wakeham is a former president of the Newfoundland and Labrador Basketball Association and Canada Basketball, and he was inducted into the province’s Basketball Hall of Fame as an athlete and contributor.
Education: He studied economics at Memorial University in St. John’s, N.L.
Political career: Wakeham was first elected in 2019 as a Progressive Conservative in the western Newfoundland district of Stephenville – Port au Port. He was reelected in the 2021 provincial election. In 2023, he was chosen to lead the party after its former leader, David Brazil, stepped down.
Family: Wakeham and his wife, Patricia, have two adult children and two grandchildren.
Quote: “I will not be held hostage by any kind of arbitrary deadline set by the province of Quebec. It appears that this deal, or this rush to sign this deal, is more about political futures than it is about the people of Newfoundland and Labrador.” – While reiterating his call for an independent third-party review of a draft energy deal between Quebec and Newfoundland and Labrador’s hydro utilities.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 15, 2025.
