Nicholas Julian Whalen (born June 6, 1973) is a Canadian Liberal politician, who represented the riding of St. John's East in the House of Commons of Canada from 2015 until 2019.[1][2] Whalen was defeated in the 2019 federal election by former New Democratic MP Jack Harris in a rematch of the 2015 election.
Nick Whalen | |
|---|---|
| Member of Parliament for St. John's East | |
| In office October 19, 2015 – October 21, 2019 | |
| Preceded by | Jack Harris |
| Succeeded by | Jack Harris |
| Personal details | |
| Born | June 6, 1973 St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador |
| Political party | Liberal |
| Spouse | Sarah Noble |
| Alma mater | McGill University Queen's University |
| Profession | lawyer, engineer, patent agent |
Early life and career
editWhalen's father, Norman Whalen, was president of the Newfoundland and Labrador Liberal Party in the 1980s, and managed Clyde Wells' 1989 election victory.[3]
He attended Queen's University's engineering school, earning both undergraduate and graduate degrees in the field. He then earned an LLB degree in 2001 from the McGill University Faculty of Law.[4]
Whalen practised law at the law firm McInnes Cooper, specializing in energy law, intellectual property, and corporate and commercial law. He was also, at the time of his election, the only qualified patent agent, and worked with a number of charitable organizations. He had previously served as the local Liberal Party treasurer.
Federal politics
editWhalen's election in St. John's East over the popular NDP incumbent, Jack Harris, was considered one of the biggest surprises of the 2015 federal election.[5][6][7]
In October 2016, Whalen responded to comments over Twitter by Earle McCurdy about the protests opposing the Lower Churchill Project over concerns of methylmercury being spilled into Lake Melville. Whalen responded by tweeting that the methylmercury levels should be monitored and people should compensate when levels are high by eating less fish.[8] Whalen later issued an apology for that comment.[9]
Whalen was defeated in the 2019 federal election.[10]
Electoral record
edit| 2019 Canadian federal election: St. John's East | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Expenditures | |||
| New Democratic | Jack Harris | 21,148 | 46.92 | +1.63 | none listed | |||
| Liberal | Nick Whalen | 14,962 | 33.20 | −13.54 | none listed | |||
| Conservative | Joedy Wall | 8,141 | 18.06 | +11.52 | $56,419.96 | |||
| Green | David Peters | 821 | 1.82 | +0.71 | $0.00 | |||
| Total valid votes/expense limit | 45,072 | 99.84 | $101,886.12 | |||||
| Total rejected ballots | 528 | 1.16 | +0.91 | |||||
| Turnout | 45,600 | 67.65 | -0.21 | |||||
| Eligible voters | 67,406 | |||||||
| New Democratic gain from Liberal | Swing | +7.58 | ||||||
| Source: Elections Canada[11] | ||||||||
| 2015 Canadian federal election: St. John's East | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Expenditures | |||
| Liberal | Nick Whalen | 20,974 | 46.73 | +38.96 | – | |||
| New Democratic | Jack Harris | 20,328 | 45.29 | -25.36 | – | |||
| Conservative | Deanne Stapleton | 2,938 | 6.55 | -13.90 | – | |||
| Green | David Anthony Peters | 500 | 1.11 | -0.02 | – | |||
| Communist | Sean Burton | 140 | 0.31 | – | – | |||
| Total valid votes/expense limit | 44,880 | 99.75 | $198,664.41 | |||||
| Total rejected ballots | 111 | 0.25 | ||||||
| Turnout | 44,991 | 67.86 | ||||||
| Eligible voters | 66,304 | |||||||
| Liberal gain from New Democratic | Swing | +32.16 | ||||||
| Source: Elections Canada[12][13] | ||||||||
References
edit- ^ "Saltwire | Newfoundland & Labrador".
- ^ "Liberals sweep all 7 N.L. ridings in federal election". CBC News. October 19, 2015. Retrieved 2015-10-22.
- ^ "Just who is Nick Whalen?". The Telegram. St. John's. October 20, 2015. Retrieved 2015-10-22.
- ^ Nick Whalen Biography, Liberal.ca.
- ^ "Just who is Nick Whalen?". The Telegram. St. John's. October 20, 2015. Retrieved 2015-10-22.
- ^ "Jack Harris 'surprised' after being ousted by Nick Whalen in St. John's East". Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. 20 October 2015. Retrieved 22 October 2015.
- ^ "NDP acknowledges defeat; loses two N.L. seats". The Telegram. St. John's. 20 October 2015. Retrieved 22 October 2015.
- ^ Munson, James (October 24, 2016). "Liberal MP apologizes for 'eat less fish' advice on mercury risk". iPolitics. Retrieved October 10, 2019.
- ^ MacEachern, Daniel; Barry, Garrett (October 24, 2016). "Newfoundland MP Nick Whalen apologizes for 'eat less fish' comment on methylmercury issue". CBC News. Retrieved October 24, 2016.
- ^ "Tories, NDP and Greens score wins in Atlantic Canada, but Liberals hold fast". 21 October 2019.
- ^ "Official Voting Results". Elections Canada. Retrieved 9 August 2021.
- ^ "Official Voting Results". Elections Canada. 29 February 2016. Retrieved 9 August 2021.
- ^ Elections Canada – Preliminary Election Expenses Limits for Candidates Archived 2015-08-15 at the Wayback Machine