Patrick George Binns (born October 8, 1948), is a Canadian diplomat, the 30th premier of Prince Edward Island from 1996 to 2007 and Canadian Ambassador to Ireland from 2007 to 2010.
Binns has a long history of public service, most notably being the 30th Premier of PEI for 11 years, during which time he was the leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Prince Edward Island.
During his premiership, Binns was known as the province's "affable and unassuming premier."
He also served as Canada's Consul General in Boston, Massachusetts.
Before the premiership
Binns was born in Weyburn, Saskatchewan, and graduated from the University of Alberta in 1969 with a Bachelor of Arts. In 1971, he earned a Master of Arts in Community Development while working for the government of Alberta as a community development officer. In 1972, Binns began working for the Prince Edward Island Rural Development Council and met and married Carol MacMillan of Stratford, PEI. While working for the P.E.I. government from 1974 to 1978, Binns helped create and run the Regional Service Centres in the province's east. In 1978, he received the Queen's Silver of Jubilee for Outstanding Public Service.
Binns entered politics in 1978 when he was elected as a MLA for the district of 4th Kings. He was subsequently re-elected in 1979 and 1982, serving various portfolios as Minister of Industry (1983), Community Affairs (1980), Fisheries (1982–83), Environment (1979), Labour (1979), and Municipal Affairs (1979) under Premier James Lee.
From 1984 to 1988, Binns was the MP for Cardigan, serving as Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Fisheries in the Brian Mulroney government. Binns subsequently established an edible bean farm in Hopefield (Island Bean Limited) and operated a management consultant firm, Pat Binns & Associates.
Premiership
First term (1996 to 2000)
Binns entered the provincial PC Party leadership race to succeed Patricia Mella in 1996 and won a convincing first ballot victory on May 5 over Charlottetown businessman Wes MacAleer and O'Leary Veterinarian Dr. Gary Morgan. He immediately set about organizing the party for an election expected within months. Binns took over a party with only a single member in the 32 seat Provincial Legislature. Binns campaigned on a platform of strengthening health care and education, encouraging economic development, and energizing communities. A provincial election was planned for late May by Premier Catherine Callbeck, only to be called off by Callbeck at the last minute at a nominating convention on the night of the planned election call. Subsequent media polls showed a surge in popularity for the PC Party. Callbeck resigned shortly afterwards and a leadership convention was held in the fall, electing provincial Cabinet Minister Keith Milligan as Callbeck's successor as Liberal leader and Premier.
Binns' PC Party defeated the Liberal Party led by Milligan in the general election on November 18, 1996, gathering 18 seats to the Liberals' 8, and the NDP's 1. This was the first provincial general election contested under a new single member, 27 seat system, replacing the previous dual member, 16 seat system.
Second term (2000 to 2003)
Binns' won a second mandate in 2000 when his PC Party swept 26 of 27 seats, leaving a single opposition Liberal in the legislature. Both Liberal Party Leader Wayne Carew and NDP Leader Dr. Herb Dickieson were defeated.
The second term of the Binns government saw continued economic growth with new business investment, economic diversification, export and tourism growth, and construction of the Atlantic Technology Centre in Charlottetown as a catalyst for development of the burgeoning IT sector. Investments continued in education and health care for extensive school construction and repair, creation of the PEI Cancer Treatment Centre in Charlottetown and Prince County Hospital in Summerside. The province's first Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act was also passed. During this time Prince Edward Island launched Waste Watch, becoming the first Canadian province to offer waste management services to every home and business resulting in a 65% waste diversion rate and closure of many community landfills. Investments were also made to expand renewable energy use with the development of the North Cape Wind Farm in West Prince, strengthening Prince Edward Island's credentials as a national leader in environmental sustainability.