Paul Alfred Davis (born June 17, 1961), is a Canadian politician who was the leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Newfoundland and Labrador and Leader of the Opposition in the province. Davis served as the 12th premier of Newfoundland and Labrador from September 26, 2014 to December 14, 2015. He was the member of the House of Assembly for Topsail-Paradise from 2015 to 2018, previously representing Topsail from 2010 to 2015.
Davis won the leadership of the Progressive Conservatives at the 2014 leadership convention on September 13, 2014, and was subsequently sworn in as premier. Previous to this he had served as Minister of Health and Community Services, Minister of Child, Youth and Family Services, Minister of Transportation and Works, and Minister of Service NL. Prior to entering cabinet in 2011, he served as the Legislative Assistant for the Department of Municipal Affairs. Before entering provincial politics Davis was the media relations officer for the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary (RNC) and the Deputy Mayor of Conception Bay South.
Background
Davis was born on June 17, 1961. He joined the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary (RNC) in 1985, after graduating from Holland College. Between 1987 and 1992 Davis worked with Corner Brook Division of the Constabulary, before being reassigned to the Criminal Investigation Division in St. John's. During his service with the RNC he also had assignment in Property Crimes, Major Crimes and the Child Abuse Sexual Assault Units. Davis became the RNC Media Relations Officer in 2006, and served in that role until he entered provincial politics. When Davis retired from police work in 2010, his accolades include a Crime Stoppers Police Officer of the Year award and a Police Exemplary Service Medal.
Davis was also a town councillor in the St. John's area municipality of Conception Bay South, and reached the position of Deputy Mayor. He was first elected in 2001 and re-elected in 2005 and 2009.
Davis's wife Cheryl, a realtor, was elected to the Conception Bay South town council in the 2017 elections as a Councillor-At-Large.
Provincial politics
Following the appointment of member of the House of Assembly Elizabeth Marshall to the Canadian Senate, Davis announced he would seek the Progressive Conservative nomination in her former district of Topsail. In a four-person race for the nomination, Davis was easily elected as the party's candidate, winning 882 out of 1215 ballots cast. The following month Davis was elected to the House of Assembly after winning 82 per cent of the popular vote in the by-election. He subsequently resigned as a member of the RNC and was sworn in as the member of the House of Assembly (MHA) for Topsail on April 5, 2010. On July 27, 2010, Premier Danny Williams appointed Davis as the Legislative Assistant for the Department of Municipal Affairs.
On May 12, 2011, Davis was acclaimed as the Progressive Conservatives candidate in Topsail for that October's general election. Just weeks later in early June, Davis announced that he had been diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma in April. Due to his illness he would be unable to make public appearances till he finished his cancer treatments, and would work from his home. Due to his battle with cancer Davis was unable to campaign in public during the October election, despite this was re-elected with 68 per cent of the popular vote.
Minister of Service NL
On October 28, 2011, Premier Kathy Dunderdale appointed Davis as the Minister of Service NL and Minister Responsible for the Government Purchasing Agency, Office of the Chief Information Officer, and the Workplace Health, Safety and Compensation Commission.
Minister of Transportation and Works
In a cabinet shuffle held on October 19, 2012, Davis became the Minister of Transportation and Works and Minister Responsible for the Newfoundland and Labrador Housing Corporation.
In February 2013, Davis announced that the government would decommission and sell the MV Nonia, a ferry that was purchased by the previous Liberal government in 1999. The ferry was purchased for $1 million and had been plagued with problems, with $18 million having been spent over the years to keep it afloat. In March it was revealed that the government had spent $3 million in repairs on the Nonia only months before the decision was made to sell it. The ferry ended up being sold for just $76,222.