Gerald Regan

The Honourable
Gerald Regan
PC, QC, ECNS
19th Premier of Nova Scotia
In office
28 October 1970 – 5 October 1978
Monarch Elizabeth II
Lieutenant Governor Victor de Bedia Oland
Clarence Gosse
Preceded by G.I. Smith
Succeeded by John Buchanan
MLA for Halifax Needham
In office
30 May 1967 – 18 February 1980
Preceded by New Riding
Succeeded by Edmund L. Morris
MP for Halifax
In office
8 April 1963 – 8 November 1965
Serving with Robert McCleave
Preceded by Edmund Morris
Succeeded by Michael Forrestall
In office
18 February 1980 – 4 September 1984
Preceded by George Cooper
Succeeded by Stewart McInnes
Personal details
Born Gerald Augustine Paul Regan[1]
(1928-02-13) February 13, 1928
Windsor, Nova Scotia, Canada
Political party Liberal
Spouse(s) Anita Carole Thomas Harrison[2]
Occupation Lawyer

Gerald Augustine Paul Regan, PC, QC, ECNS (born 13 February 1928), is a Canadian politician, who served as the 19th Premier of Nova Scotia from 1970 to 1978.

Early life and education

Regan was born in Windsor, Nova Scotia, the son of Rose Mary (née Greene) and Walter Edward Regan.[3][4] He has Irish ancestry.[3] Regan graduated from Dalhousie Law School and was admitted to the Nova Scotia Barristers' Society in 1954.

He became one of the region's best known labour lawyers, and his high-profile image led to an invitation to enter politics.

Political career

He was first elected to the House of Commons in the 1963 federal election.[5] He resigned his seat in 1965 when he was named leader of the Nova Scotia Liberal Party. Regan entered the Nova Scotia House of Assembly in 1967, and aggressively pursued the government of Premier George Isaac Smith as Leader of the opposition. Regan led a fourteen-hour filibuster against the government's plans to increase the sales tax in 1969.

Regan's Liberals won a minority government in 1970, and were re-elected with a majority in 1974.

As premier, Regan supported industrialization and the development of offshore gas and oil. His first government amended the province's labour code to prevent courts from issuing injunctions to prevent picketing in labour disputes, and the office of the provincial ombudsman was established. In its second term, the Regan government nationalized the Nova Scotia Light and Power electrical utility, and consolidated electricity supply under the Nova Scotia Power Corporation. A massive plan for the development of tidal power in the Bay of Fundy was also announced.

His government was defeated by John Buchanan's Progressive Conservative Party in the 1978 general election, in part due to the oil shock's effect on the economy.

Regan returned to the federal House of Commons in the 1980 federal election, and was appointed Minister of Labour and Minister of State for International Trade in the Cabinet of Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau. Regan was defeated along with the Liberal government in the 1984 election.

Criminal charges and controversy

On October 27, 1993, CBC News revealed that the RCMP were investigating Regan for sexual misconduct.[6] In March 1995 and May 1995 he was charged with a total of nineteen counts of sexual offences.[7][8] As of April 2, 1998, there were eighteen charges, but nine were stayed by Justice J. Michael MacDonald of the Supreme Court of Nova Scotia.[9] Regan ultimately faced trial on eight charges including rape, attempted rape and forcible confinement, for crimes allegedly committed in 1956 and 1969 against victims aged 14 and 18 at the time.[10][11] On December 18, 1998, he was acquitted on all eight charges by a jury.[12]

On September 10, 1999, by a margin of 2–1, the Nova Scotia Court of Appeal reinstated the nine stayed charges; two were later dropped, but the others were to be tried together with the other remaining charge.[13][14][15] The ruling reinstating the charges was upheld in a 5–4 decision by the Supreme Court of Canada in February 2002.[16] But in April 2002, the crown attorney's office announced that it would not continue prosecution on the remaining charges of sexual assault due to the age of the allegations, the cost and the age of the defendant.[17][6]

Personal life

Regan's wife is Anita Carole Thomas (Harrison), whose father, John Harrison, was a Saskatchewan Liberal Member of Parliament.[1][3] His son Geoff Regan is the current Speaker of the House of Commons of Canada and served as Minister of Fisheries and Oceans in the government of Paul Martin from 2000 until 2006, and who currently serves as MP for Halifax West and as Speaker of the House of Commons since 2015. Two of his daughters are also well-known: Nancy Regan was a local television personality with ATV, and Laura Regan is an actress.

References

  1. 1 2 "Ottawa Citizen - Google News Archive Search". news.google.com. Retrieved 27 January 2017.
  2. ↑ Batten, D.; O'Handley, K. Canadian Parliamentary Guide: Parlementaire Canadien. Gale. Retrieved 27 January 2017.
  3. 1 2 3 Kimber, S. (1999). Not Guilty: The Surprising Trial of Gerald Regan. Stoddart. ISBN 9780773731929. Retrieved 27 January 2017.
  4. ↑ Canada. Parliament; Normandin, P.G. (1990). Guide Parlementaire Canadien. P. G. Normandin. ISSN 0315-6168. Retrieved 27 January 2017.
  5. ↑ Gerald Regan – Parliament of Canada biography, Accessed 8 February 2018.
  6. 1 2 Kimber, Stephen (April 25, 2002). "Gerald Regan Case Update". The Coast. Retrieved 3 November 2011.
  7. ↑ Kevin Cox (1995-03-16). "Regan seeks inquiry over charges". Globe and Mail. p. A1.
  8. ↑ Kevin Cox (1995-05-31). "More sex charges filed against Regan". Globe and Mail. p. A3.
  9. ↑ Kevin Cox (1998-04-03). "Regan to stand trial on nine sex charges". Globe and Mail. p. A1.
  10. ↑ Kevin Cox (1998-11-04). "Jury selection in Regan trial set to start". Globe and Mail. p. A8.
  11. ↑ Kevin Cox (1998-11-24). "Regan accuser insists attack real". Globe and Mail. p. A3.
  12. ↑ John DeMont (1998-12-28). "Regan acquitted". Retrieved 2017-06-05.
  13. ↑ Crown Retains New Counsel for Appeal Nova Scotia Public Prosecution Service
  14. ↑ Appeal court reserves decision in Regan case CBC News
  15. ↑ Kevin Cox (1999-12-03). "Regan denies second set of sex charges". Globe and Mail. p. A7.
  16. ↑ Sex assault charges reinstated against Gerald Regan CBC News
  17. ↑ Regan Prosecution Will Not Proceed Nova Scotia Public Prosecution Service
23rd Ministry – Cabinet of John Turner
Cabinet post (1)
Predecessor Office Successor
Jean Chrétien Minister of Energy, Mines and Resources
1984		 Patricia Carney
22nd Ministry – Second cabinet of Pierre Trudeau
Cabinet posts (6)
Predecessor Office Successor
position created Minister for International Trade
1983–1984		 Francis Fox
' Minister of State (International Trade)
1982–1983		 '
Francis Fox Secretary of State for Canada
1981–1982		 Serge Joyal
' Minister of Amateur Sport
1980–1982		 '
Lincoln Alexander Minister of Labour
1980–1981		 Charles Caccia
' Minister of State (Sports)
1980		 '
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