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Seamus O'Regan

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The Honourable
Seamus O'Regan
PC MP
O'Regan in June 2018
Minister of Seniors
In office
July 26, 2023 – July 19, 2024
Prime MinisterJustin Trudeau
Preceded byKamal Khera
Succeeded bySteven MacKinnon
Minister of Labour
In office
October 26, 2021 – July 19, 2024
Prime MinisterJustin Trudeau
Preceded byFilomena Tassi
Succeeded bySteven MacKinnon
Minister of Natural Resources
In office
November 20, 2019 – October 26, 2021
Preceded byAmarjeet Sohi
Succeeded byJonathan Wilkinson
Minister of Indigenous Services
In office
January 14, 2019 – November 20, 2019
Preceded byJane Philpott
Succeeded byMarc Miller
Minister of Veterans Affairs
Associate Minister of National Defence
In office
August 28, 2017 – January 14, 2019
Preceded byKent Hehr
Succeeded byJody Wilson-Raybould
Member of Parliament
for St. John's South—Mount Pearl
Incumbent
Assumed office
October 19, 2015
Preceded byRyan Cleary
Personal details
Born
Seamus Thomas Harris O'Regan

(1971-01-18) January 18, 1971 (age 53)
St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada
Political partyLiberal
Spouse
Steve Doussis
​
(m. 2010)​
ResidenceSt. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador[1]
Alma mater
Occupation

Seamus Thomas Harris O'Regan PC MP (born January 18, 1971) is a Canadian politician and a former cabinet minister in the government of Justin Trudeau. He resigned from cabinet effective July 19, 2024.[2] A member of the Liberal Party, O'Regan was first elected to the House of Commons in 2015, representing St. John's South—Mount Pearl. He was appointed to Cabinet in 2017, and served 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 and minister of labour from October 26, 2021 until July 19, 2024 and minister of seniors from July 26, 2023 until July 19, 2024.

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]

Early life and education

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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 children's show 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][6]

Career

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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.[7] 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.[8] Since leaving CTV, he was occasionally a fill-in host on radio station CFRB in Toronto, ⁣[9] and worked on independent television productions and as a media innovator in residence at Ryerson University.[9][10] O'Regan also served as the executive vice president for communications of the Stronach Group.[10]

Political career

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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.[11] On October 19, 2015, O'Regan won the election, defeating New Democrat incumbent Ryan Cleary.[12][13] He was appointed to the cabinet on August 28, 2017, as the minister of veterans affairs[14] 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.[15]

O'Regan served as minister of labour from 2021 and expanded his portfolio to also include minister of seniors during the 2023 cabinet shuffle.[16] As the labour minister, O'Regan was involved in the BC port workers strike between International Longshore and Warehouse Union Canada and the BC Maritime Employers Association, which included a 13 day work stoppage in the summer of 2023,[17][18][19] as well as the strike of WestJet's aircraft mechanics in the summer of 2024.[20]

In July 2024, CBC reported that O'Regan would resign from cabinet for family reasons, but would continue to serve as a Member of Parliament until the next election, expected in 2025.[21]

Personal life

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On July 9, 2010, O'Regan married his longtime partner, Steve Doussis, in Newfoundland.[22]

O'Regan serves on the Boards of Katimavik, Canada's leading youth service-learning program, 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.[23][24]

In November 2017, he was hospitalised in Ottawa for a major gastrointestinal obstruction.[25] 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.[26][27][28]

Electoral record

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2021 Canadian federal election: St. John's South—Mount Pearl
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
Liberal Seamus O'Regan 19,478 56.17 +5.07 $92,438.10
New Democratic Ray Critch 8,113 23.40 -3.38 $25,603.86
Conservative Steve Hodder 6,447 18.59 -0.50 $8,313.27
People's Georgia Faith Stewart 638 1.84 – $0.00
Total valid votes/expense limit 34,676 98.82 +0.25 $105,099.33
Total rejected ballots 414 1.18 -0.25
Turnout 35,090 53.00 -8.42
Registered voters 66,201
Liberal hold Swing +4.21
Source: Elections Canada[29][30]
2019 Canadian federal election: St. John's South—Mount Pearl
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
Liberal Seamus O'Regan 20,793 51.13 −6.73 $58,125.56
New Democratic Anne Marie Anonsen 10,890 26.78 −9.98 $25,130.37
Conservative Terry Martin 7,767 19.10 +14.53 $56,978.54
Green Alexandra Hayward 740 1.82 +1.01 $0.00
People's Benjamin Ruckpaul 335 0.82 – none listed
Christian Heritage David Jones 141 0.35 – none listed
Total valid votes/expense limit 40,666 98.57   $100,487.58
Total rejected ballots 592 1.43 +1.13
Turnout 41,258 61.42 −5.71
Eligible voters 67,170
Liberal hold Swing +1.62
Source: Elections Canada[31]
2015 Canadian federal election: St. John's South—Mount Pearl
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
Liberal Seamus O'Regan 25,992 57.86 +29.16 $124,533.70
New Democratic Ryan Cleary 16,467 36.76 –9.58 $98,225.69
Conservative Marek Krol 2,047 4.57 –19.64 $24,331.40
Green Jackson McLean 365 0.81 +0.09 –
Total valid votes/expense limit 44,801 100.00   $201,093.98
Total rejected ballots 133 0.30
Turnout 44,934 67.13
Eligible voters 66,936
Liberal gain from New Democratic Swing +19.37
Source: Elections Canada[32][33]

References

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  1. ^ "Official Voting Results". Elections Canada. Retrieved January 23, 2021.
  2. ^ "Labour minister Seamus O'Regan leaving cabinet". CBC News. July 18, 2024. Retrieved July 18, 2024.
  3. ^ a b c "Seamus O'Regan joining CTV National News as correspondent". CTV News. November 8, 2011. Archived from the original on March 31, 2012. Retrieved November 9, 2011.
  4. ^ Dyer, Evan (September 20, 2015). "Mulcair, Trudeau cross swords in Newfoundland where NDP and Liberals are in battle". CBC News. Retrieved September 20, 2015.
  5. ^ "Seamus O'Regan, Correspondent, CTV National News". CTV. Retrieved January 13, 2012. [dead link]
  6. ^ Stephens, Lisa (May 7, 2007). "Seamus O'Regan, 35 Ontario". The Globe and Mail. Toronto, Ontario. Archived from the original on January 25, 2024. Retrieved January 24, 2024.
  7. ^ "Seamus O'Regan - Summary Profile". National Speakers Bureau. Retrieved December 12, 2011.
  8. ^ "Seamus O'Regan to run for Liberals in St. John's". CTV News. August 12, 2014. Retrieved August 18, 2014.
  9. ^ a b "Seamus O'Regan: Mental health spokesman" Archived 2014-08-19 at the Wayback Machine. The Grid, June 23, 2014.
  10. ^ a b Canadian Press (August 18, 2014). "Seamus O'Regan seeks federal Liberal nomination in Nfld". Maclean's. Archived from the original on August 18, 2014. Retrieved June 10, 2024.
  11. ^ "Seamus O'Regan takes Liberal nomination in St. John's South-Mount Pearl". CBC News. September 23, 2014. Retrieved October 22, 2015.
  12. ^ "Seamus O'Regan upsets Ryan Cleary for Liberal win in St. John's South-Mount Pearl". CBC News. October 20, 2015. Retrieved October 22, 2015.
  13. ^ "Liberals sweep all 7 N.L. ridings in federal election". CBC News. October 19, 2015. Retrieved October 22, 2015.
  14. ^ "Indigenous Affairs department split, Seamus O'Regan new veterans minister in cabinet shakeup". CBC News. August 27, 2017. Retrieved August 27, 2017.
  15. ^ "Federal election 2021 live results".
  16. ^ "Trudeau overhauls his cabinet, drops 7 ministers and shuffles most portfolios". CBC.
  17. ^ "B.C. port strike: Federal labour minister launches review to uncover 'structural issues'". British Columbia. August 9, 2023. Retrieved August 10, 2023.
  18. ^ "B.C. port dispute ends as workers vote to accept new deal". CBC.
  19. ^ "Terms of deal that ended B.C. port strike revealed | Globalnews.ca". Global News. Retrieved August 10, 2023.
  20. ^ Reynolds, Christopher; Meissner, Dirk (June 30, 2024). "WestJet Strike: Airline calls on feds to act after 800 flights cancelled". Vancouver Sun. The Canadian Press. Retrieved July 18, 2024.
  21. ^ Cochrane, David; Woods, Michael (July 18, 2024). "Labour minister Seamus O'Regan leaving cabinet". cbc.ca. Archived from the original on July 18, 2024. Retrieved July 18, 2024.
  22. ^ Takeuchi, Craig (November 8, 2011). "CTV anchor Seamus O'Regan to leave Canada AM for CTV National News". The Georgia Straight. Vancouver Free Press Publishing Corporation. Retrieved November 13, 2015.
  23. ^ "Liberal MP Seamus O'Regan checks into wellness program seeking 'alcohol free lifestyle'". The Globe and Mail. The Canadian Press. January 3, 2016. Retrieved January 4, 2016.
  24. ^ "Seamus O'Regan draws from his own personal struggles as Veterans Affairs Minister". Retrieved March 31, 2020.
  25. ^ "VOCM - Minister O'Regan Still in Hospital, Will Attend Remembrance Ceremony". Archived from the original on November 10, 2017.
  26. ^ Maher, David (November 20, 2020). "Justice Seamus O'Regan, a pillar of Newfoundland and Labrador's justice system, died this week at age 79". The Telegram. Retrieved January 18, 2021.
  27. ^ "Canada Raising Awareness for Electric Vehicles in Newfoundland and Labrador". Natural Resources Canada (press release). January 13, 2021. Retrieved January 13, 2021. The Honourable Seamus O'Regan Jr., Canada's Minister of Natural Resources, today announced[...]
  28. ^ "Celebrating Indigenous Leadership in Clean Energy". Natural Resources Canada (press release). December 22, 2020. Retrieved January 13, 2021. The Honourable Seamus O'Regan, Canada's Minister of Natural Resources, today announced[...]
  29. ^ "Confirmed candidates — St. John's South—Mount Pearl". Elections Canada. Retrieved September 20, 2021.
  30. ^ "Candidate Campaign Returns". Elections Canada. Retrieved July 19, 2022.
  31. ^ "Results Validated by the Returning Officer". Elections Canada. Retrieved October 25, 2019.
  32. ^ "October 19, 2015 Election Results — St. John's South—Mount Pearl (Validated results)". Elections Canada. October 21, 2015. Retrieved October 24, 2015.
  33. ^ Elections Canada – Preliminary Election Expenses Limits for Candidates
[edit]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Seamus O'Regan.
29th Ministry – Cabinet of Justin Trudeau
Cabinet posts (4)
Predecessor Office Successor
Kent Hehr Minister of Veterans Affairs
August 28, 2017 – January 14, 2019 		Jody Wilson-Raybould
Jane Philpott Minister of Indigenous Services
January 14, 2019 – November 20, 2019 		Marc Miller
Amarjeet Sohi Minister of Natural Resources
November 20, 2019 – October 26, 2021 		Jonathan Wilkinson
Filomena Tassi Minister of Labour
October 26, 2021 – July 19, 2024 		Steven MacKinnon
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