Brian Peckford

Alfred Brian Peckford, PC (born August 27, 1942) is a former teacher, politician and premier of Newfoundland.

Born in Whitbourne, Newfoundland, Peckford first won election to the House of Assembly in 1972 as a Progressive Conservative. In 1974 he became minister of municipal affairs and housing in the cabinet of Premier Frank D. Moores subsequently serving as minister of mines and energy and argued with the federal government over the ownership of the offshore Hibernia oil fields. In 1979 he won the party leadership succeeding Moores as Premier leading his party to re-election in 1979 and 1982, largely on the issue of wresting control over natural resources from the federal government. Peckford clashed with Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau during the debates on the Canadian constitution arguing for more provincial rights. He was a supporter of the Meech Lake Accord negotiated by Trudeau's successor, Brian Mulroney and was a supporter of the Canada-U.S. Free Trade Agreement. He left politics in 1989 to start a consulting company.