Frank Moores, who ousted Joey Smallwood's troubled Liberal government to become Newfoundland and Labrador's second premier and first Progressive Conservative one, died yesterday after a battle with liver cancer. He was 72.
Mr. Moores, who was a backroom organizer for former prime minister Brian Mulroney and became ensnared in several high-profile scandals, died in hospital in Perth, Ont. He had lived in the pretty town outside Ottawa for the past several years, but often visited Newfoundland, where he was premier from 1972 to 1979.
"He was a breath of fresh air," said former Newfoundland cabinet minister John Crosbie, who jumped to the Tories after having a falling out with Mr. Smallwood. "He was the antithesis of Mr. Smallwood, not dictatorial or a one-man show, which we badly needed in Newfoundland. He established an atmosphere of real democracy in the province."
Born in 1933, Mr. Moores grew up in Harbour Grace when the town was a prosperous fishing community. He inherited his family's fish packing business, building the business 15-fold, to 1,800 jobs from 120, before it was sold in 1965.
He was personable, loved the outdoors and was an outstanding salmon fisherman, Mr. Crosbie said.
Elected to the House of Commons in 1968, he became leader of the provincial Tories in 1971. He beat Mr. Smallwood in a legendary election that October that ended in a tie in seats. The Conservatives won the popular vote, and after a court decision ruled for the Tories, Mr. Moores formed a government in January, 1972, ending Mr. Smallwood's 23-year reign over Canada's youngest province.
When he left politics in 1979 he became a lobbyist, and was one of the leading organizers of Mr. Mulroney's successful leadership campaign in 1983. He later served as an adviser to Mr. Mulroney when he became prime minister.
Mr. Mulroney appointed Mr. Moores to the board of Air Canada but he resigned in 1985 because clients of his lobbying company included two other airlines.
He became chairman of Government Consultants International, a powerful lobby group, in 1987. But in 1995 he fell under a cloud of suspicion over the long-running Airbus affair, a scandal involving alleged kickbacks from German businessman Karlheinz Schreiber on the sale of jets to Air Canada.
Mr. Moores resigned from the consulting company and Mr. Mulroney launched a $50-million defamation suit against the government. The Mounties eventually conceded they were unable to prove the allegations. In 1997, the government apologized to Mr. Moores after the investigation became public, saying that it had "wrongly reached conclusions that you had engaged in criminal activity."
"No one will remember that," said Mr. Crosbie, who was federal transport minister at the time. "There was no influence brought to bear by anyone. Frank improved the way people look on Mr. Mulroney."
"Newfoundland and Labrador has lost one of the most dedicated and passionate individuals to ever serve this province," Premier Danny Williams said. "He shall forever be remembered for his trademark warm, broad smile and as a proud Newfoundlander, who worked diligently on behalf of the people."
Newfoundland MP John Efford once said of Mr. Moores: "He wasn't a colourless guy, but he wasn't the ranting, raving type of character that Smallwood was."
But Mr. Moores was unafraid to stand up for province. In 1977, he led a high-profile campaign supporting the Newfoundland seal hunters to New York, Washington, Paris and London, where he faced angry animal-rights protesters. And he clashed with former Quebec premier René Lévesque over the price of power from Churchill Falls, at one point threatening to cut the power supply unless Quebec renegotiated a better deal for Newfoundland.
Prime Minister Paul Martin said yesterday that Mr. Moores was "a steadfast proponent for his province, and defender of the interests of the people."
He leaves six daughters and a son from his first marriage to Dorothy Pain, and a son from his second marriage to Janis Johnson.
Frank Duff Moores was born in Carbonear, Nfld., on Feb. 18, 1933. He died July 10, 2005, in Perth, Ont.