James Greene

Who is James Greene?

James J. Greene was the Newfoundland and Labrador's Opposition Leader from 1960 to 1965 and leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Newfoundland. He led the party through the 1962 provincial election and in which the party increased its seat total in the Newfoundland House of Assembly and from, more than doubling them from 3 to 7, and its share of the popular vote from 25% to 36%. The result was not enough to prevent the Liberal government of Joey Smallwood from returning to power with a substantial majority government.

Greene was a 31 year-old lawyer when he was first elected to the legislature in the riding of what was then called St. John's East during the 1959 provincial election by defeating incumbent James D. Higgins, leader of the United Newfoundland Party which had broken away from the Tories prior to the election. Prior to being elected, Greene was counsel to the International Woodworkers of America's Newfoundland local. The election also saw the defeat of Conservative leader Malcolm Mercer Hollett after Smallwood personally unseated him run in his St. John's West riding.