Robert Joseph Morrissey MP (born November 18, 1954) is a Canadian politician. He represents the electoral district of Egmont in the House of Commons of Canada. He is a member of the Liberal Party.

Bobby Morrissey
Member of Parliament
for Egmont
Assumed office
October 19, 2015
Preceded byGail Shea
Member of the Legislative Assembly of Prince Edward Island for Tignish-DeBlois
(1st Prince; 1982–1996)
In office
September 27, 1982 – April 17, 2000
Preceded byRussell Perry
Succeeded byGail Shea
Personal details
Born
Robert Joseph Morrissey

(1954-11-18) November 18, 1954 (age 69)
Alberton, Prince Edward Island, Canada
Political partyLiberal
ResidenceTignish, Prince Edward Island[1]
Alma materUniversity of Prince Edward Island
OccupationFisherman

Morrissey previously represented the electoral districts of 1st Prince from 1982 to 1996 and Tignish-DeBlois from 1996 to 2000 in the Legislative Assembly of Prince Edward Island. He was a member of the Liberal Party.

Political career edit

Provincial politics edit

Morrissey, a Liberal, was first elected to the Legislative Assembly in the 1982 general election for 1st Prince.[2] He was re-elected in the 1986,[3] 1989,[4] and 1993 elections. He was re-elected in the 1996 election in the new electoral district of Tignish-Deblois.

On May 2, 1986, Morrissey was appointed to the Executive Council of Prince Edward Island as Minister of Transportation and Public Works.[5] He became Minister of Industry[6] and Minister Responsible for the Prince Edward Island Development Agency in 1989 and was also named Minister Responsible for the redevelopment of CFB Summerside and the community following the base closure by the federal government. On April 15, 1993, Morrissey was named Minister of Economic Development and Tourism and Minister Responsible for Enterprise PEI. Following the 1996 general election, he held the positions of Opposition House Leader and Opposition critic for finance. While a Member, Morrissey served on the Standing Committee on Privileges, Rules and Private Bills, and the Standing Committee on Community Affairs and Economic Development. He was the chair of the Standing Committee on Public Accounts. Morrissey did not reoffer for the 2000 general election.

Federal politics edit

In November 2007, Morrissey was nominated as the Liberal candidate in Egmont for the 2008 Canadian federal election, following the retirement of Liberal MP Joe McGuire.[7] However, he withdrew his candidacy on August 5, 2008, choosing instead to return to the private sector.[8]

On November 22, 2014, Morrissey was nominated as the Liberal candidate in Egmont, for the 2015 federal election.[9][10] On October 19, 2015, Morrissey won the election, defeating Conservative incumbent Gail Shea and New Democrat candidate Herb Dickieson.[11][12]

Private career edit

Prior to entering politics in 1982, Morrissey was employed in the fishery. Since 2000, he was a consultant specializing in corporate/government relations, fisheries, labor market, and community development. He was also President of PFI Group, President of Global Food Technologies, and Director of Royal Star Investments.

Community involvement edit

Morrissey served as a trustee of the Unit 1 School Board and was Chair of West Prince Community Advisory Board. He was also vice-chair of the Parish Council of St. Simon and St. Jude, and an organizer of the Tignish Irish Moss Festival prior to his election in 1982. Since 2000, he has served as a board member of the Heart & Stroke Foundation of PEI, was a founding member, President and treasurer of the Tignish Seniors Home Care Co-op, a member of the building and fundraising committees of the Credit Union Arena located in Tignish, and is Vice Chair of Tignish Special Needs Housing. Member of the Advisory Board to Holland College West Prince Campus.

Personal life edit

Morrissey was born at the Western Hospital in Alberton, Prince Edward Island, the son of Bernard and Marie (née O'Connor) Morrissey, who lived in Seacow Pond near Tignish, Prince Edward Island. He is a Catholic.[13] He currently resides in Seacow Pond.

Electoral record edit

Federal edit

2021 Canadian federal election: Egmont
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
Liberal Bobby Morrissey 9,040 46.21 +6.48 $52,360.87
Conservative Bobby Balsom 6,088 31.11 -3.26 $45,649.91
Green Alex Clark 1,771 9.05 -10.76 $5,606.29
New Democratic Lisa Bradshaw 1,688 8.63 +2.53 $3,620.46
People's Wayne Biggar 974 4.98 $0.00
Total valid votes/expense limit 19,561 98.77 +0.11 $89,655.36
Total rejected ballots 244 1.23 -0.11
Turnout 19,805 69.32 -3.12
Eligible voters 28,571
Liberal hold Swing +4.89
Source: Elections Canada[14][15]
2019 Canadian federal election: Egmont
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
Liberal Bobby Morrissey 8,016 39.73 −9.52 $53,702.84
Conservative Logan McLellan 6,934 34.36 +5.41 $65,608.31
Green Alex Clark 3,998 19.81 +17.20 $14,320.88
New Democratic Sharon Dunn 1,230 6.10 −13.08 $0.00
Total valid votes/expense limit 20,178 98.66   $85,525.15
Total rejected ballots 274 1.34 +0.93
Turnout 20,452 71.62 −5.37
Eligible voters 28,557
Liberal hold Swing −7.46
Source: Elections Canada[16]
2015 Canadian federal election: Egmont
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
Liberal Bobby Morrissey 10,521 49.25 +17.94 $67,240.83
Conservative Gail Shea 6,185 28.95 –25.70 $110,058.32
New Democratic Herb Dickieson 4,097 19.18 +6.81 $34,718.49
Green Nils Ling 559 2.62 +0.95 $4,895.27
Total valid votes/expense limit 21,362 99.59   $169,928.60
Total rejected ballots 87 0.41 –0.39
Turnout 21,449 77.29 +5.62
Eligible voters 27,751
Liberal gain from Conservative Swing +21.82
Source: Elections Canada[17][18]


Provincial edit

1996 Prince Edward Island general election: Tignish-DeBlois
Party Candidate Votes %
Liberal Robert Joseph Morrissey 1,413 53.97
Progressive Conservative Gail A. Shea 1,149 43.89
New Democratic Howard Waite 56 2.14
Total valid votes 2,618 100.0  
This riding was created from parts of the dual-member riding of 1st Prince.
1993 Prince Edward Island general election: 1st Prince
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Robert Joseph Morrissey 3,530 55.13 -11.97
Progressive Conservative Larry Gaudet 2,600 40.60 +10.48
New Democratic Leroy Hiltz 273 4.27 +1.49
Total valid votes 6,403 100.0  
Assemblyman Election
Liberal hold Swing -11.23
Source: 1993 Election Results
1989 Prince Edward Island general election: 1st Prince
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Robert Joseph Morrissey 4,001 67.10 +13.18
Progressive Conservative Gerarda Corcoran 1,796 30.12 -15.97
New Democratic Roger McPhee 165 2.78
Total valid votes 5,962 100.0  
Assemblyman Election
Liberal hold Swing +14.58
Source: 1989 Election Results
1986 Prince Edward Island general election: 1st Prince
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Robert Joseph Morrissey 3,415 53.92 +3.82
Progressive Conservative Gerald Keough 2,918 46.08 -3.82
Total valid votes 6,333 100.0  
Assemblyman Election
Liberal hold Swing +3.82
Source: 1986 Election Results
1982 Prince Edward Island general election: 1st Prince
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Robert Joseph Morrissey 2,748 50.10 -4.90
Progressive Conservative Gerald Keough 2,736 49.90 +4.90
Total valid votes 5,484 100.0  
Assemblyman Election
Liberal hold Swing -4.90
Source: 1982 Election Results

References edit

  1. ^ "Official Voting Results". Elections Canada. Retrieved January 23, 2021.
  2. ^ "Liberal winner in PEI recount". The Globe and Mail. October 15, 1982.
  3. ^ "Results of voting in PEI". The Globe and Mail. April 22, 1986.
  4. ^ "Results of the PEI general election". The Globe and Mail. May 30, 1989.
  5. ^ "Oath taken, Ghiz names PEI Cabinet". The Globe and Mail. May 3, 1986.
  6. ^ "Ghiz drops three, ushers in four". The Globe and Mail. June 7, 1989.
  7. ^ "Robert Morrissey wins Egmont Liberal nomination". The Guardian. Charlottetown. November 3, 2007. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved October 26, 2015.
  8. ^ "Morrissey drops out of MP race". CBC News. August 6, 2008. Retrieved October 16, 2015.
  9. ^ "Egmont Liberals nominate Robert Morrissey". CBC News. November 22, 2014. Retrieved October 26, 2015.
  10. ^ "Robert Morrissey elected as Liberal candidate for Egmont". The Guardian. Charlottetown. November 22, 2014. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved October 26, 2015.
  11. ^ "Conservative Gail Shea loses Egmont to Liberal Bobby Morrissey". CBC News. October 19, 2015. Retrieved October 26, 2015.
  12. ^ "Liberal sweep in P.E.I., Gail Shea defeated in Egmont". The Guardian. Charlottetown. October 19, 2015. Archived from the original on October 21, 2015. Retrieved October 26, 2015.
  13. ^ "Biographies of Members of the Legislative Assembly – Robert Joseph Morrissey". Journal of the Legislative Assembly. Archived from the original on August 12, 2016. Retrieved October 26, 2015.
  14. ^ "September 20, 2021 General Election Election Results". Elections Canada. Retrieved 22 September 2021.
  15. ^ "Candidate Campaign Returns". Elections Canada. Retrieved 19 July 2022.
  16. ^ "Official Voting Results". Elections Canada. Retrieved 22 September 2021.
  17. ^ "October 19, 2015 Election Results — Egmont (Validated results)". Elections Canada. 21 October 2015. Retrieved 24 October 2015.
  18. ^ Elections Canada – Final Candidates Election Expenses Limits

External links edit