Robert Ghiz
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Categories: Articles lacking sources from June 2007 | All articles lacking sources | 1974 births | Premiers of Prince Edward Island | Bishop's University alumni | Prince Edward Island Liberal Party MLAs | Canadians of Lebanese descent | Canadians of Syrian descent | People from Charlottetown | Living people
Robert W.J. Ghiz MLA (born January 21, 1974, in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island) is the Premier of Prince Edward Island. He is also the son of former premier Joe Ghiz. Ghiz grew up in Charlottetown and served in the Canadian Forces Primary Reserves while attending high school in the early 1990s. He attended Bishop's University where he earned a Bachelor's degree in political science; his father spoke at Ghiz's graduation. Ghiz moved to Ottawa following his father's death from cancer and worked as a political aide for Deputy Prime Minister Sheila Copps before joining the Bank of Nova Scotia in 1998. In 2001 Ghiz joined the office of Prime Minister Jean Chrétien where he served as Atlantic Canada advisor before leaving to run for leader of the Liberal Party of Prince Edward Island in 2003. In 2003 Ghiz narrowly defeated former provincial Health Minister Alan Buchanan for the leadership of the party and went on to win a seat in the Legislative Assembly of Prince Edward Island in the 2003 provincial election. The MLA for Charlottetown-Rochford Square (now Charlottetown-Brighton) served as Leader of the Official Opposition in the provincial legislature from 2003-2007. Ghiz faced a difficult controversy during the lead-up to the 2007 provincial election when he personally intervened in the nominating procedure in a rural electoral district northeast of Charlottetown. Ghiz refused to sign his party's nominating papers for the winning candidate who had made a controversial speech endorsing patronage. Ghiz led his party to power in the general election held on May 28, 2007, easily defeating Pat Binns after 11 years of Progressive Conservative government. Ghiz won 23 of the 27 seats, reversing the standings in the legislature at the time of dissolution. Ghiz and his 11-member cabinet were sworn in on June 12, 2007. A 24th member was elected in October in a by-election held after the resignation of Pat Binns. Ghiz's election resulted in the second time in the history of Prince Edward Island that a father-son team both became premier; the other pair (also Liberal) being Thane Campbell (1936-1943) and his son Alexander B. Campbell (1966-1978). External links
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