Bill Matthews

For other people with the same name, see William Matthews.

For the Australian footballer, see Bill Matthews (footballer). For the geologist, see Bill Mathews.

William Matthews (born July 22, 1947) is a Canadian politician.

Bill Matthews
Member of Parliament of Canada for Random—Burin—St. George's (Burin—St. George's, 1997–2004)
In office September 22, 1997 – September 7, 2008
Preceded by	Roger Simmons
Succeeded by	Judy Foote
Member of Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly for Grand Bank
In office 1982–1996
Preceded by	Leslie Thoms
Succeeded by	Judy Foote
Personal details
Born	William Matthews (1947-07-22) July 22, 1947 (age 78) Grand Bank, Newfoundland
Political party	Liberal (1999–2008)
Other political affiliations	Progressive Conservative (1982–1999)
Residence(s)	Grand Bank, Newfoundland and Labrador
Profession	Teacher
Portfolio	Fisheries & Oceans (Critic)

Political career

Matthews was a Progressive Conservative member of the Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly from 1982 to 1996. During this time, he was a cabinet minister, as Minister of Culture, Recreation and Youth from 1985 to 1988 and Minister of Career Development and Advanced Studies from 1988 to 1989.

Matthews was later elected to the House of Commons of Canada in 1997 as a member of the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada, representing the riding of Burin—St. George's. He crossed the floor to the Liberals in 1999,^[1] and continued to represent the riding until 2004. In that year's federal election, he was elected to the newly redistributed district of Random—Burin—St. George's, which he represented until 2008.

Matthews is a former teacher. He is a former Parliamentary Secretary to the Queen's Privy Council for Canada and Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs, Deputy House Leader of the Progressive Conservative Party, and Progressive Conservative critic of Fisheries and Oceans.

In March 2007, Matthews called Prime Minister Stephen Harper a "liar." While Speaker of the House Peter Milliken didn't give in to demands from outraged Tories to throw Matthews out of the chamber, Milliken did not allow Matthews to rise in the House for what would be the last 14 months of Matthews' career.^[2] Matthews did not run for reelection in the 2008 election.^[3]

In October 2018, Matthews was appointed as Chief of Staff to provincial PC leader Ches Crosbie in the Opposition Office.^[4]

Matthews contested the 2019 provincial election as the PC candidate in Burin-Grand Bank,^[5] but was defeated by Liberal incumbent Carol Anne Haley.^[6]

Electoral record

2019 Newfoundland and Labrador general election
Party	Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Carol Anne Haley	2,822	51.6	-27.8
	Progressive Conservative	Bill Matthews	2,645	48.4	+39.6
Total valid votes			5,467	100
Total rejected ballots			54
Turnout			65.7%
Eligible voters			8,403
	Liberal hold		Swing		-27.8

2006 Canadian federal election
Party	Candidate	Votes	%	±%	Expenditures
	Liberal	Bill Matthews	13,652	45.49	-1.28	$24,312.48
	Conservative	Cynthia Downey	12,232	40.76	+22.55	$27,919.55
	New Democratic	Amanda Will	3,702	12.34	-20.95	$842.43
	Green	Mark A. Brennan	426	1.42	-0.37	none listed
Total valid votes/Expense limit			30,012	100.0	–	$85,393
Total rejected ballots			131	0.43	-0.09
Turnout			30,143	52.09	+7.18
Eligible voters			57,869
	Liberal hold		Swing		-11.92

2004 Canadian federal election
Party	Candidate	Votes	%	±%	Expenditures
	Liberal	Bill Matthews	12,383	46.77	-1.03	$32,788.03
	New Democratic	Desmond McGrath	8,797	33.29	+28.76	$29,123.91
	Conservative	Larry Peckford	4,820	18.21	-7.18	$35,579.47
	Green	Justin Dollimont	474	1.79	–	$468.70
Total valid votes/Expense limit			26,474	100.0	–	$83,804
Total rejected, unmarked and declined ballots			139	0.52
Turnout			26,613	44.91	-12.34
Eligible voters			59,256
	Liberal notional hold		Swing		-14.90
Changes from 2000 are based on redistributed results. Change for the Conservatives is based on the combined totals of the Progressive Conservatives and the Canadian Alliance.

2000 Canadian federal election
Party	Candidate	Votes
	Liberal	Bill Matthews	14,603
	Independent	Sam Synard	7,891
	Progressive Conservative	Fred Pottle	5,799
	Alliance	Peter Fenwick	1,511
	New Democratic	David Sullivan	924

1997 Canadian federal election
Party	Candidate	Votes
	Progressive Conservative	Bill Matthews	13,884
	Liberal	Roger Simmons	11,715
	New Democratic	David A. Sullivan	4,784

1993 Newfoundland and Labrador general election

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Progressive Conservative	Bill Matthews	3406	–	–
	Liberal	Judy Foote	2805
	NDP	Joseph L. Edwards	181

1989 Newfoundland and Labrador general election

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Progressive Conservative	Bill Matthews	3948	68.6	–
	Liberal	Graham Wood	1811	31.5

1985 Newfoundland and Labrador general election

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Progressive Conservative	Bill Matthews	3028	49.3	–
	Liberal	T. Maxwell Snook	2689	43.7
	NDP	Calvin Peach	431	7.0

1982 Newfoundland and Labrador general election

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Progressive Conservative	Bill Matthews	2857	51.6	–
	Liberal	Leslie Thoms	2442	44.1
	NDP	Eric Miller	234	4.23