{{Short description|Canadian politician}} {{Use Canadian English|date=January 2023}} {{Infobox officeholder | honorific_prefix = | name = Dale Kirby | honorific_suffix = Ph.D. | image = | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1971|05|19}} | birth_place = St. Lawrence, Newfoundland, Canada | assembly2 = Newfoundland and Labrador House of | constituency_AM2 = St. John's North | term_start2 = November 9, 2011 | term_end2 = November 5, 2015 | predecessor2 = Bob Ridgley | successor2 = riding dissolved | assembly1 = Newfoundland and Labrador House of | constituency_AM1 = Mount Scio | term_start1 = November 30, 2015 | term_end1 = April 17, 2019 | predecessor1 = ''New District'' | successor1 = Sarah Stoodley | party = New Democrat (1999–2013)<br />Independent (2013–2014)<br />Liberal (2014–2018)<br />Independent (2018–2019) | website = | occupation = University Professor | office = Minister of Education and Early Childhood Development | predecessor = Susan Sullivan | successor = Al Hawkins | term_start = December 14, 2015 | term_end = April 3, 2018 }}
'''Dale Kirby''' (born May 19, 1971) is a politician who served in the Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly from 2011 to 2019.
He served as Minister of Education and Early Childhood Development in the Ball government from 2015 to 2018.
==Early life== Kirby was born in St. Lawrence on the Burin Peninsula. He was raised on a small farm in Lord's Cove where generations of his family have worked in inshore fishing industries. Kirby began working at an early age at ''Kirby's Store'', later ''Kirby's Kwik-Way'', a family-run grocery and convenience store. He graduated from St. Joseph's Academy in 1989.
===University studies and student activism=== Kirby earned Bachelor of Science and Master of Education degrees from Memorial University of Newfoundland before completing a doctorate in higher education theory and policy studies at the University of Toronto. While at university, he held a number of elected student union positions at the local, provincial, and national levels. As chairperson of the Newfoundland and Labrador component of the Canadian Federation of Students in the 1990s, Kirby led a successful campaign to freeze college and university tuition fees in Newfoundland and Labrador.<ref>"Postsecondary Fees Frozen". ''The Telegram'', January 15, 1999.</ref>
==Academic career== In 2006, Kirby was appointed an assistant professor of post-secondary education studies in the Faculty of Education at Memorial University of Newfoundland. He was promoted to the position of associate professor in 2011. Prior to joining Memorial University, he worked as a senior advisor on education policy in the Ontario Public Service.<ref name="personalwebpage">{{cite web |url=http://www.dalekirby.com |title=Dale Kirby's personal webpage |publisher=www.dalekirby.com |accessdate=January 4, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120426091528/http://www.dalekirby.com/ |archive-date=April 26, 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
Kirby is a professor, researcher, and consultant on student access and participation in college and university and in the area of online learning.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.mun.ca/gazette/issues/vol42no13/kirby.php|title=Dale Kirby: Invitation to speak|work=MUN Gazette|access-date=May 24, 2024|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100717101736/https://www.mun.ca/gazette/issues/vol42no13/kirby.php|archivedate=July 17, 2010}}</ref> In recognition of his contributions and advocacy, the Canadian Council on Learning named him a Minerva Scholar in 2007.<ref>[http://today.mun.ca/news.php?news_id=3400 "Canadian Council on Learning honours education professor"], November 28, 2007. MUN Gazette.</ref> In 2011, he received the R. W. B. Jackson Award from the Canadian Educational Researchers Association as well the Best Research Paper Award at the 2011 European Distance and E-Learning Network Annual Conference.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.mun.ca/educ/home/archive/kirby_award.php|title=Kirby and Gardner take home award|publisher=MUN Faculty of Education|date=June 3, 2011|access-date=May 24, 2024|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20151222090813/https://www.mun.ca/educ/home/archive/kirby_award.php|archivedate=December 22, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.mun.ca/gazette/issues/vol43no17/education2.php|title=Education paper head of the class|work=MUN Gazette|access-date=May 24, 2024|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20151108101148/https://www.mun.ca/gazette/issues/vol43no17/education2.php|archivedate=November 8, 2015}}</ref>
==Politics== Kirby was first elected in 2011 to represent the electoral district of St. John's North as a member of the Newfoundland and Labrador New Democratic Party.<ref>{{cite news|title=Plenty of new faces heading to Confederation Building|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/plenty-of-new-faces-heading-to-confederation-building-1.997878|accessdate=26 May 2018|newspaper=Canadian Broadcasting Corporation|date=12 October 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/ndp-celebrates-historic-gains-1.1117282|title=NDP celebrates historic gains|publisher=CBC News|date=October 11, 2011|accessdate=May 21, 2019}}</ref> Kirby left the NDP caucus in 2013 after a high-profile, public dispute with NDP leader Lorraine Michael,<ref>{{cite news|title=N.L. NDP Leader Lorraine Michael facing caucus revolt|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/n-l-ndp-leader-lorraine-michael-facing-caucus-revolt-1.2129212|access-date=21 October 2013|newspaper=Canadian Broadcasting Corporation|date=21 October 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Michael calls for 2014 leadership review|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/michael-calls-for-2014-leadership-review-1.2252812|access-date=26 October 2013|newspaper=Canadian Broadcasting Corporation|date=26 October 2013}}</ref><ref>[http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/kirby-mitchelmore-quit-ndp-caucus-after-leadership-row-1.2286469 "Kirby, Mitchelmore quit NDP caucus after leadership row"]. CBC News, October 29, 2013.</ref> and later joined the Newfoundland and Labrador Liberal Party.<ref>[https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/dale-kirby-and-christopher-mitchelmore-join-liberals-1.2522282 "Dale Kirby and Christopher Mitchelmore join Liberals"]. CBC News Newfoundland and Labrador, February 4, 2014.</ref> He was reelected in the 2015 provincial election as a Liberal in the new district of Mount Scio.<ref>[https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/8-notable-liberals-uncontested-in-provincial-election-race-1.3122782 "8 notable Liberals uncontested in provincial election race"]. CBC News Newfoundland and Labrador, June 22, 2015.</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/ndp-leader-earle-mccurdy-loses-to-siobhan-coady-1.3344549|title=NDP Leader Earle McCurdy loses to Siobhan Coady|publisher=CBC News|date=30 November 2015|accessdate=2 December 2015}}</ref>
Kirby was sworn at Government House as Minister of Education and Early Childhood Development by Lieutenant Governor Frank Fagan on December 14, 2015.<ref>{{cite web| url = https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/school-board-elections-november-1.3722970| title = School board elections set for Nov. 22, Dale Kirby announces {{!}} CBC News}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/cabinet-swearing-in-live-stream-1.3363654|title=Dwight Ball, new Liberal cabinet sworn in at Government House|publisher=CBC News|date=14 December 2015|accessdate=9 June 2017}}</ref> Kirby was Minister of Education and Early Childhood Development for Newfoundland and Labrador from 2015 to 2018 during which time he oversaw the implementation of full-day Kindergarten across the province. He also oversaw the work of the Task Force on Improving Educational Outcomes which carried out a comprehensive review of the Newfoundland and Labrador public school system.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.mun.ca/educ/our-people/academic-faculty/faculty/dr-dale-kirby/ |title=Dr. Dale Kirby | Faculty of Education }}</ref>
On April 30, 2018 Kirby resigned from the Liberal cabinet following allegations of harassment by Liberal MHAs Colin Holloway and Pam Parsons. Kirby sat as an Independent during an investigation of the complaint by the Commissioner for Legislative Standards.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/dale-kirby-booted-from-cabinet-caucus-1.4641563|title=Dale Kirby removed from cabinet and caucus after complaints|publisher=CBC News|date=April 30, 2018|accessdate=April 30, 2018}}</ref><ref>[http://www.thewesternstar.com/news/local/holloway-not-happy-with-harassment-ruling-237390/ "Holloway not happy with harassment ruling"]. ''The Western Star'', August 29, 2018.</ref> On August 27, 2018, CBC released a copy of a report by the Commissioner for Legislative Standards that cleared him and Eddie Joyce of wrongdoing in all the allegations made by fellow Liberal MHA Colin Holloway.<ref>[https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/dale-kirby-eddie-joyce-colin-holloway-harassment-1.4801117 "Kirby cleared of being Twitter troll, Joyce cleared of bullying MHA Colin Holloway"]. CBC News Newfoundland and Labrador, August 27, 2018.</ref> On October 20, 2018, Kirby shared the results of the report regarding MHA Pam Parsons’ complaint to the public. Kirby was cleared on all complaints, except ”seeking a personal benefit” in a comment to Parsons about a school petition at the 2016 Liberal Party AGM; the report recommended a sanction by the House of Assembly on that count.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/dale-kirby-harassment-report-1.4870166|title=Dale Kirby glad harassment investigation over, but says complaints used as 'political weapon'|publisher=CBC News|date=October 19, 2018|accessdate=May 3, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Harassment scandal sparks proposed changes in N.L. legislature|url=https://nationalpost.com/pmn/news-pmn/canada-news-pmn/harassment-scandal-sparks-proposed-changes-in-n-l-legislature|access-date=2021-04-12|website=nationalpost|language=en-CA}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/premier-dwight-ball-cabinet-shuffle-1.4897463|title=Dwight Ball recruits new blood for cabinet to replace Kirby, Joyce|publisher=CBC News|date=November 8, 2018|accessdate=2019-05-25}}</ref>
Kirby did not seek re-election in the 2019 election.<ref name=wins2019>[https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/candidates-may-16-nl-election-1.5139722 "Here's the list of the winning candidates in the 2019 N.L. election"]. CBC News, May 17, 2019.</ref>
==Electoral history== {{Election box begin | title=2015 Newfoundland and Labrador general election}} {{CANelec |NL |Liberal |Dale Kirby|1,899|47.1|+42.8}} {{CANelec |NL |PC |Rhonda Churchill-Herder |1,104 |27.4 |-13.1}} {{CANelec |NL |NDP |Sean Panting|1,030|25.5|-29.7}} |}
{{Election box begin | title=2011 Newfoundland and Labrador general election}} {{CANelec |NL |NDP |Dale Kirby|2,595|55.2|+45.2}} {{CANelec |NL |PC |Bob Ridgley |1,905 |40.5 |-37.1}} {{CANelec |NL |Liberal |Elizabeth Scammell-Reynolds|201|4.3|-8.7}} |}
{{Election box begin | title=1999 Newfoundland and Labrador general election}} {{CANelec |NL |Liberal|Lloyd Matthews|2,304|45.5|-10.9}} {{CANelec |NL |PC |Ray Andrews |1,971 |38.9 |+5.4}} {{CANelec |NL |NDP |Dale Kirby|788|15.6|+5.3}} |}
==References== {{reflist}}
{{Ball Ministry}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kirby, Dale}} Category:Living people Category:People from St. Lawrence, Newfoundland and Labrador Category:Members of the Executive Council of Newfoundland and Labrador Category:Newfoundland and Labrador New Democratic Party MHAs Category:Politicians from St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador Category:1971 births Category:Academic staff of the Memorial University of Newfoundland Category:Liberal Party of Newfoundland and Labrador MHAs Category:Independent MHAs in Newfoundland and Labrador Category:21st-century members of the Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly