Premier announces new Cabinet appointments and welcomes Felix Collins into Caucus

Premier Danny Williams today announced changes to his Cabinet and also welcomed the newest Member of the House of Assembly to the government caucus, Mr. Felix Collins. Mr. Collins was elected in a by-election on February 21, 2006 in the District of Placentia & St. Mary�s.

"Our government has had the benefit of strong leadership at both the caucus and cabinet level, and today I am pleased to welcome a new Cabinet minister and a new caucus member," said Premier Williams. "Mr. Clyde Jackman has done a tremendous service as a Parliamentary Secretary over the past couple of years and has been a strong voice for his constituents, and we look forward to having the benefit of his experience and advice at the Cabinet table."

The following portfolios will be under new leadership effective immediately:

"It is always beneficial to have fresh perspectives on different portfolios, and the changes today reflect my confidence in these individuals to serve these particular constituencies and the interests of their portfolios around the Cabinet table," added Premier Williams. "I am also very pleased to welcome Felix Collins into our caucus. Having known Felix for many years, I know that he will bring great experience and knowledge to the caucus table and will serve the people of Placentia & St. Mary�s well."

Premier Williams also announced the appointment of Dave Denine, MHA for Mount Pearl, as Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Education, and Harry Harding, MHA for Bonavista North, will serve as Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Human Resources, Labour and Employment.

"All of these individuals have worked diligently on behalf of the public interest, and I look forward to the contributions they will make in their new role," Premier Williams said.

Media contact: Elizabeth Matthews, Office of the Premier, (709) 729-3960 or (709) 690-5500, elizabethmatthews@gov.nl.ca

John Ottenheimer
Member for St. John�s East
Born in St. John�s in 1953, John Ottenheimer graduated from Memorial University with Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Education degrees in 1974, a Graduate Diploma in 1980, and a Masters of Education in 1986. He attended the University of Windsor, graduating with a Bachelor of Laws in 1982. He worked as a high school teacher in French and German at Holy Heart of Mary High School at St. John�s in 1974-75; as principal at St. Joseph�s Academy at Lamaline in 1976-78; and as principal at St. Stephen�s Elementary at Stephenville in 1978-79. He practiced law in St. John�s beginning in 1982. He has been a lecturer in property law at Cabot College and a lecturer in Law and Education at the Faculty of Education of Memorial University of Newfoundland. Mr. Ottenheimer was elected in St. John�s East in the general elections of 1996, 1999 and 2003. He has served in the PC Caucus as the Chair of the Strategy Committee, the Chair of the PC Caucus and the critic for the portfolios of Education, Justice, Treasury Board, Mines and Energy, and Labrador and Aboriginal Affairs. He is a past Director and Fundraising Chairperson with the Newfoundland and Labrador Heart and Stroke Foundation; he served as Subcommittee Chairperson with the Law Foundation of Newfoundland and Labrador; and he has served as Honourary Chair of the Eastern Avalon Chapter of the Crohn�s and Colitis Foundation of Canada. Mr. Ottenheimer is married to Leona (King), a visual artist, of Long Harbour, Placentia Bay. They have four sons. Minister Ottenheimer was appointed into the Cabinet in November 2003. He has served as Minister of Education and Minister of Health and Community Services.

Tom Osborne
Member for St. John�s South
Born in St. John�s in 1964, Tom Osborne was educated at Brother Edmund Rice High School and graduated from Cabot College in St. John�s. He worked with Statistics Canada from 1986 to 1990, with Small Business Enterprise from 1990 to 1995, and with the Penney Group of Companies from 1990 until his election in 1996. He was elected in the general elections of 1996, 1999 and 2003. He was elected Opposition Caucus Vice-Chair, was appointed Parliamentary Assistant to the Leader of the Opposition, and served as Opposition critic for Industry, Trade and Technology, Government Services and Lands, and Environment and Labour. He has also served as a Member of the Public Accounts Committee. Minister Osborne was appointed into Cabinet in November 2003 and has since served as Minister of Environment and Conservation. Minister Osborne is married to Yvonne (McGrath) of Placentia and has two daughters Rhiannon and Kate.

Clyde Jackman
Member for Burin Placentia-West
Clyde Jackman was born in Grole, Hermitage Bay to Clyde and Theresa (Cribb) Jackman and is the eldest of 10 children. His family resettled to Marystown in 1968. Clyde has resided in Baine Harbour for the past 25 years where he and his wife Elizabeth (Kilfoy) raised their five children Mary, Colin, Owen, Darren, and Byron. Clyde completed his high school years at Pearce Regional High School and went on to complete a Bachelor of Arts and Education from Memorial University of Newfoundland and Labrador. In 1993, he received a Master's of Education from Mount Saint Vincent University in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Clyde has worked in education for 27 years. His first two years of teaching took him to Cartwright, Labrador. He then returned to the Burin Peninsula and worked as a teaching principal at St. Matthew's Elementary, Boat Harbour West, and as principal at Jacques Fontaine All-Grade School, Jacques Fontaine.

Clyde has served as a volunteer at both the local and provincial levels. He has been a member of the Board of Directors for the T. J. Macdonald Youth Group Home and, for 21 years, he worked as a volunteer firefighter. He has held several positions within his local church community and, for a period of time, he and his family provided foster care support. Clyde is an avid outdoors person. He particularly enjoys kayaking and canoeing. He has fished alongside trawlermen and inshore fishermen and he has a deep interest in the future of rural Newfoundland and Labrador. He was sworn in as the Member for Burin - Placentia West on November 12, 2003. He was appointed as Parliamentary Secretary for the Department of Education in June 2005.

Dave Denine
Member for Mount Pearl
Dave Denine was elected and sworn in as a Member of the House of Assembly in November 2003. He subsequently served as the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Municipal and Provincial Affairs and Minister Responsible for the Newfoundland and Labrador Housing Corporation. The former Mayor of Mount Pearl is a graduate of Memorial University of Newfoundland, where he received a Bachelor of Education degree in 1972, and a retired junior and senior high school teacher. He served as a member of the Mount Pearl City Council since November 1989, holding the positions of Councillor, Deputy Mayor and was elected Mayor in 1996. He has served on the executive of the Mount Pearl Minor Hockey Association; chaired the Torch Relay Committee; and was a member of the Coordinating Committee for the 1988 and 2000 Newfoundland and Labrador Summer Games. He also co-chaired the 2002 Irving Cup Hockey Tournament held in Mount Pearl. He is a member of the Board of Directors of the Children�s Wish Foundation. Dedicated to his community, Mr. Denine has received several community awards including the 1988 City Builders Award, the 1988 Brian Waklin Award for Minor Hockey Executive of the Year, the Queen�s Golden Jubilee Medal for community service, and the Mount Pearl Minor Hockey Builders Award.

Mr. Denine, his wife Shirley and their two sons, Keith and Mark, live in Mount Pearl.

Harry Harding
Member for Bonavista North
First elected to the House of Assembly in 2002, Harry Harding was re-elected as Member for Bonavista North in 2003. Originally from Greenspond, he attended Bishop�s College in St. John�s, Gander District Vocational School, and Memorial University. For the past 29 years, Mr. Harding and his wife Abbie have lived in Badger�s Quay. They have two children, Jamie and Patty. Immediately prior to being elected to the House, Mr. Harding was employed as resource manager with Beothic Fish Processors Ltd. in Valleyfield for 14 years. He has also worked as town clerk/manager for 15 years with the rural district of Badger�s Quay-Valleyfield-Pool�s Island. He also worked as payroll clerk/office manager with St. Lawrence Construction at Churchill Falls and Labrador City, as teacher at Greenspond and Wareham, as plant worker with Fishery Products International and as labourer with Fishermen�s Union Trading Company in Greenspond. Mr. Harding has been a very active in community life, having served with distinction as a volunteer in many organizations, including with Lions, Badger�s Quay Fire Department, Cape Freels Development Association and Newfoundland and Labrador Association of Municipal Administrators. Awards he has received include the Melvin Jones Fellow (the highest award from the International Association of Lions Clubs).

Felix Collins
Member for Placentia & St. Mary�s
Felix Collins was elected to represent Placentia & St. Mary�s in a by-election on February 21, 2006. He served as Mayor of Placentia for 15 years and councillor for four years. He was the founding director and vice-chairperson of Lion�s Manor Health Care Facility in Placentia for eight years; member of the board of directors with Marine Atlantic for six years; former superintendent, supervisor, principal and teacher with the St. Mary�s School Board; founding chair of the Placentia Recreation Commission; practicing lawyer for 10 years; first winner of the Newfoundland Teachers� Association�s Special Recognition Award for Community and Public Service (1990); chair of the Placentia Intertown Joint Mayors� Association; Placentia Citizen of the Year 1990. Felix is married to Janet and they have three children � Lisa, Paul and Jonathon.

2006 03 14                                     10:20 a.m.