Roger Simmons - The Man in the Arena: From Railway Brat to Diplomat

Flanker Pres s Limited

St. Johns

Library and Archives Canada Cataloguing in Publication

Simmons, Roger, author

The man in the arena : from railway brat to diplomat / Roger Simmons ; with

a foreword by John C. Crosbie.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Issued in print and electronic formats.

ISBN 978-1-77117-693-4 (softcover).--ISBN 978-1-77117-694-1 (EPUB).--

ISBN 978-1-77117-705-4 (Kindle).--ISBN 978-1-77117-706-1 (PDF)

1. Simmons, Roger. 2. Legislators--Newfoundland and Labrador--Biography.

3. Legislators--Canada--Biography. 4. Newfoundland and Labrador. House of

Assembly--Biography. 5. Canada. Parliament. House of Commons--Biography.

6. Politicians--Newfoundland and Labrador--Biography. 7. Politicians--Canada--

Biography. 8. Diplomats--Canada--Biography. I. Title.

FC626.S56A3 2018 971.064092 C2018-904125-0

C2018-904126-9

2018 by Roger Simmons

All Rights Reserved. No part of the work covered by the copyright hereon may be reproduced or used in any form or by any meansgraphic, electronic or mechanicalwithout the written permission of the publisher. Any request for photocopying, recording, taping, or information storage and retrieval systems of any part of this book shall be directed to Access Copyright, The Canadian Copyright Licensing Agency, 1 Yonge Street, Suite 800, Toronto, ON M5E 1E5. This applies to classroom use as well. For an Access Copyright licence, visit www.accesscopyright.ca or call toll-free to 1-800-893-5777.

Printed in Canada

Cover Design by Graham Blair Cover photo courtesy of the Canadian Press

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St. Johns, NL

Canada

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We acknowledge the [financial] support of the Government of Canada. Nous reconnaissons lappui [financier] du gouvernement du Canada. We acknowledge the support of the Canada Council for the Arts, which last year invested $153 million to bring the arts to Canadians throughout the country. Nous remercions le Conseil des arts du Canada de son soutien. Lan dernier, le Conseil a investi 153 millions de dollars pour mettre de lart dans la vie des Canadiennes et des Canadiens de tout le pays. We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, Department of Tourism, Culture and Recreation for our publishing activities.

In Memoriam

Otto Tucker ,

mentor, patriot, friend

and

Ruby Noseworthy ,

Pearl Seaward ,

Susie Simms ,

who were there for me

with oodles of TLC

Authors notes

Some of the explanatory footnotes and in-text references will strike Canadian readers as elementary and/or unnecessary. They are intended for Americans who, understandably, are less familiar with Canadian geography, history, traditions, customs, politics, and acronyms. In the same vein, a US readership is the reason I sometimes take brief historical detours to give context to certain subjects.

Award-winning author Ed Smith (19402017), in his great book From the Ashes of My Dreams , eloquently stated, This book is intended to be futuristically productive rather than historically unkind.

I couldnt have said it better myself. My rule of thumb, in writing this volume as in life, has been: If I cant say something good about someone, I say nothing. With some exceptions, where it would have been disingenuous not to bell the cat or state the obvious, I have adhered to that guideline.

Persons who are no longer alive are identified, if the reference is complimentary or neutral; otherwise, the reference is anonymous. (Not that all the persons accorded anonymity herein are current recipients of their eternal reward.)

Contents

John Crosbie

Outstanding service to Newfoundland

and Labrador and to Canada

Lawyer, orator, humorist;

Deputy Mayor, City of St. Johns, NL, 196566;

Member of the Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly (MHA) for St. Johns West, 196676;

Smallwood cabinet portfolios, 196668: Municipal Affairs and Housing, Health;

Moores cabinet portfolios,197276: Finance, Treasury Board, Economic Development, Fisheries, Intergovernmental Affairs, Mines and Energy, Government House Leader;

Member of Parliament (MP) for St. Johns West, 197693;

Clark cabinet portfolio, 197980: Finance;

Mulroney cabinet portfolios, 198493: Justice and Attorney General, Transport, International Trade, Fisheries and Oceans, Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency;

Chancellor, Memorial University of Newfoundland , 19942008;

Lieutenant-Governor of Newfoundland and Labrador, 200813

Foreword

by The Honourable John C. Crosbie, PC , OC , ONL , QC

All the worlds a stage,

And all the men and women merely players;

They have their exits and their entrances,

And one man in his time plays many parts.

William Shakespeare, As You Like It (Act II, Scene VII)

I was an actor on the Newfoundland and Canadian political stage through much of Roger Simmonss political career, which spanned from 1973 to 1997. Always astute and sharp-witted, hes a wily character whom I have known for many years for his commitment to public service and as an untiring and dedicated soldier of the Salvation Army and, of course, the Liberal Party.

Roger and I were political contemporaries who first met in the late 1960s, and although we were most of the time in different parties, we enjoyed a mutual respect for one another, engaging in rigorous debate as is necessary in our democratic process. Always ready with a sharp rejoinder, Roger, I recall, one time referred to me in the House of Commons as:

the bionic mouth not attached to any known intelligent life form!

I am honoured to have been asked by the Honourable Roger Simmons, PC, to provide this foreword to his engaging and wonderful account documenting the ups and downs of a successful and colourful Newfoundland politician. Roger consistently displayed tremendous resilience and has left an enduring impact on just about every organization that he has been associated with along the way, whether it be in the education system, Parliament, or the foreign service.

He also possesses an uncanny ability to, despite adversity, seemingly always land on his feet and move forward without missing a beat. He is widely admired in disparate circles for his tenacity and cleverness.

As the Member of Parliament for the sprawling coastal rural riding of BurinSt. Georges along the south and southwest coasts of Newfoundland, Roger was a tireless advocate of constituents residing in over 150 far-flung communities. As Member of Parliament, he very ably fulfilled the role of political successor to long-serving parliamentarians Chesley Carter (19491965) and Donald Jamieson (19661979).

He has certainly enjoyed a fascinating career, and he has produced an excellent book thats well worth a read for anyone with an interest in Canadian politics and how a successful politician might operate. It is good fortune that he has decided to document in a most entertaining and interesting manner his remarkable career from how things modestly began for him, as part of a large family in Lewisporte and Bishops Falls, to how he succeeded as an educator, administrator, entrepreneur, politician, diplomat, and consultant.