Cle Newhook

Newhook was a university administrator as co-ordinator of student services at Memorial University as well as the university's chaplain. He was best known for being the director of the Ocean Ranger Families Foundation, a non-profit foundation established after the 1982 oil rig disaster that killed 84 men. The foundation organized the victims' families so that they could be represented at a public inquiry and lobbied for legislative changes to prevent future oil rig disasters^[4][5][6]

Before entering electoral politics, Newhook had been involved with both the federal and provincial New Democratic parties.^[4] As the provincial party's executive secretary, Newhook ran for the leadership following the retirement of former leader Peter Fenwick, and he defeated Gene Long in the 1989 provincial NDP convention.^[7] A provincial election was called about a month later, but the party lost both of its seats amidst a Liberal surge that saw NDP support drop 10 points, which moved to the Liberals; this allowed the Liberals led by Clyde Wells to defeat the Conservative government.^[8] In 1990, while Newhook was leader, the NDP regained a seat in the House when Jack Harris won a by-election victory in St. John's East.^[9] Newhook attempted to win a seat for himself in a 1991 by-election in Trinity North but was unsuccessful despite a strong showing.^[10] In his fifth attempt to win a seat, a 1992 by-election in Ferryland, he came in third.^[11] A month later, Newhook announced that he would step down as NDP leader;^[12] he was succeeded by MHA Jack Harris.^[13]

He served on the provincial Electoral Districts Boundary Commission in 2006.^[2]

Newhook died on March 2, 2018, due to a short bout with cancer.^[14][15]