# Len Simms
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{{Short description|Canadian politician (1943–2026)}}
{{Use Canadian English|date=January 2023}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| image = File:Len Simms pic.jpg
| name = Len Simms
| caption =
| birth_date = {{birth date|1943|8|23}}
| birth_place = [Howley](/source/Howley%2C_Newfoundland_and_Labrador), Dominion of Newfoundland
| death_date = {{death date and age|2026|1|26|1943|8|23}}
| death_place =
| office1 = [Leader of the Opposition (Newfoundland)](/source/Leader_of_the_Opposition_(Newfoundland_and_Labrador))
| term_start1 = 1991
| term_end1 = 1995
| successor1 = [Lynn Verge](/source/Lynn_Verge)
| predecessor1 = [Tom Rideout](/source/Tom_Rideout)
| office2 = [Leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Newfoundland](/source/Newfoundland_PC)
| term_start2 = 1991
| term_end2 = 1995
| successor2 = [Lynn Verge](/source/Lynn_Verge)
| predecessor2 = [Tom Rideout](/source/Tom_Rideout)
| office3 = [Speaker of the Newfoundland House of Assembly](/source/Speaker_of_the_Newfoundland_and_Labrador_House_of_Assembly)
| term_start3 = 1979
| term_end3 = 1982
| predecessor3 = [Gerry Ottenheimer](/source/Gerry_Ottenheimer)
| successor3 = [James Russell](/source/James_Russell_(Newfoundland_politician))
| office4 = [MHA](/source/Newfoundland_and_Labrador_House_of_Assembly) for [Grand Falls](/source/Grand_Falls-Windsor-Buchans)
| term_start4 = 1979
| term_end4 = 1995
| predecessor4 = [John Lundrigan](/source/John_Lundrigan)
| successor4 = [Mike Mackey](/source/Mike_Mackey)
| party = [Progressive Conservative](/source/Newfoundland_and_Labrador_PC_Party)
| occupation =
}}
'''Leonard Archibald Simms''' (October 23, 1943 – January 26, 2026) was a Canadian politician from [Newfoundland and Labrador](/source/Newfoundland_and_Labrador).[{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Vh0VAAAAYAAJ&q=%22Simms+leonard%22+1943|title=Who's who in Canada: An Illustrated Biographical Record of Men and Women of the Time|isbn=9780919339026|last1=Parker|first1=Charles Whately|last2=Greene|first2=Barnet M.|year=1982}}] He was the [Progressive Conservative](/source/Progressive_Conservative_Party_of_Newfoundland_and_Labrador) [Member of the House of Assembly](/source/Newfoundland_and_Labrador_House_of_Assembly) for [Grand Falls](/source/Grand_Falls-Windsor-Buchans) from 1979 to 1995. From 2005 until 2014, Simms was chairman and chief executive officer of the Newfoundland and Labrador Housing Corporation, a provincial [crown corporation](/source/crown_corporation).
Simms served as [Speaker of the House of Assembly](/source/Speaker_of_the_House_of_Assembly_of_Newfoundland_and_Labrador) from 1979 to 1982 when he was appointed to the provincial [cabinet](/source/Executive_Council_of_Newfoundland_and_Labrador) of [Premier](/source/Premier_of_Newfoundland_and_Labrador) [Brian Peckford](/source/Brian_Peckford). Simms served in the portfolios of Culture, Recreation and Youth, Forest Resources and Lands, President of Treasury Board and President of Executive Council.[{{cite web|title=Senior executive appointments made|url=http://www.releases.gov.nl.ca/releases/2005/exec/0223n04.htm|publisher=Government of Newfoundland and Labrador|accessdate=24 February 2012|date=23 February 2005}}]
He ran for the [leadership of the Progressive Conservative Party in 1989](/source/Progressive_Conservative_Party_of_Newfoundland_and_Labrador_leadership_elections) but lost to [Tom Rideout](/source/Tom_Rideout) who subsequently appointed him Development Minister in his Cabinet.[{{cite news|title=Newfoundland cuts cabinet as election rumors fly|url=https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/thestar/access/470433191.html?FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Mar+28%2C+1989&author=(CP)&pub=Toronto+Star&desc=Newfoundland+cuts+cabinet+as+election+rumors+fly&pqatl=google|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130201085612/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/thestar/access/470433191.html?FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Mar+28,+1989&author=(CP)&pub=Toronto+Star&desc=Newfoundland+cuts+cabinet+as+election+rumors+fly&pqatl=google|url-status=dead|archive-date=February 1, 2013|accessdate=24 February 2012|newspaper=Toronto Star|date=28 March 1989|page=A.8}}] The Tory government was defeated in the [1989 general election](/source/1989_Newfoundland_general_election) and Simms moved to the Opposition benches. He succeeded Rideout in 1991 to become [Leader of the Opposition](/source/Leader_of_the_Opposition_(Newfoundland_and_Labrador)) and party leader. The party lost the [1993 general election](/source/1993_Newfoundland_general_election) and Simms resigned as party leader two years later.[{{cite news|title=Tory leadership race a cliff-hanger|url=https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/thestar/access/497355691.html?FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=May+01%2C+1995&author=&pub=Waterloo+Region+Record&desc=Tory+leadership+race+a+cliff-hanger&pqatl=google|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130131185207/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/thestar/access/497355691.html?FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=May+01,+1995&author=&pub=Waterloo+Region+Record&desc=Tory+leadership+race+a+cliff-hanger&pqatl=google|url-status=dead|archive-date=January 31, 2013|accessdate=24 February 2012|newspaper=The Record|date=1 May 1995|page=B.3}}]
Simms was appointed head of the Newfoundland and Labrador Housing Corporation by Premier [Danny Williams](/source/Danny_Williams_(Canadian_politician)) in 2005. In 2007 he stepped down in order to take a senior role in Williams' [2007 re-election campaign](/source/2007_Newfoundland_and_Labrador_general_election) and was immediately re-appointed to the $130,000-a-year housing corporation position following the election leading to complaints of "blatant patronage" from the Opposition.[[http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/critics-decry-obscene-patronage-in-simms-reappointment-1.690511 Critics decry 'obscene' patronage in Simms reappointment], ''CBC News'', October 19, 2007]
Simms died in January 2026, at the age of 82. He was paid tribute by Premier [Tony Wakeham](/source/Tony_Wakeham).[{{cite news |title=Len Simms, Former PC Leader and Long-Time Public Servant, Passes Away |url=https://vocm.com/2026/01/26/len-simms-former-pc-leader-and-long-time-public-servant-passes-away/ |access-date=28 January 2026 |publisher=VOCM |date=26 January 2026}}]
==References==
{{reflist}}
{{NL PC Leaders}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Simms, Len}}
Category:1943 births
Category:2026 deaths
Category:Speakers of the Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly
Category:Members of the Executive Council of Newfoundland and Labrador
Category:Progressive Conservative Party of Newfoundland and Labrador MHAs
Category:Newfoundland and Labrador political party leaders
Category:Leaders of the Progressive Conservative Party of Newfoundland and Labrador
Category:20th-century members of the Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly
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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Len Simms](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Len_Simms) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Len_Simms?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.