Daniel E. Williams KC (born August 4, 1949) is a Canadian politician, businessman, and lawyer who served as the ninth premier of Newfoundland and Labrador between November 6, 2003, and December 3, 2010.

[2] After becoming Leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Newfoundland and Labrador in 2001, he was elected to the House of Assembly in a by-election for the district of Humber West in Corner Brook.

Events such as ordering all Canadian flags to be removed from provincial government buildings, and launching the Anything But Conservative campaign in the 2008 federal election, garnered national attention.

[2][4][5] While Williams remains a controversial politician outside Newfoundland and Labrador, he was continuously ranked as one of the most popular premiers, with approval ratings in the province consistently in the high seventies and eighties.

[8] (All currency is in Canadian dollars) While still in law school, Williams led a consortium of businesspeople that was granted one of Newfoundland's first cable television licences and started the company "Avalon Cablevision".

[8] His firm represented many of the abused altar boys and orphans who sued the Roman Catholic Church, the Christian Brothers and the province of Newfoundland following the Mount Cashel Orphanage scandal.

[7] Williams served as president of OIS Fisher, an oil and natural gas company (later renamed Spectrol Group), and has invested in golf courses and resorts throughout the province.

[10] He has also served as the Chairman of the Canadian Parliamentary Channel (CPAC), the Newfoundland and Labrador Film Development Corporation as well as the Provincial Government Offshore Oil Impact Advisory Council.

[11] Before the centre opened, however, Williams had sold Cable Atlantic to Rogers Communications to pursue his political career, but retained the naming rights.

[11] In 2000, after years of speculation Williams announced his candidacy for the leadership of the Progressive Conservative Party of Newfoundland and Labrador (PC), and was returned uncontested on April 7, 2001.

In September 2001, Liberal Assemblyman (MHA) Ross Wiseman crossed the floor of the House of Assembly to join the Progressive Conservative caucus.

[21] Later that year, the Williams government compressed health and education boards in an attempt for a more efficient delivery of services, a move that still receives criticism in the province.

[26][5][27] On January 10, 2005, Canadian flags started flying once again in the province, and several weeks later Newfoundland and Labrador and Nova Scotia reached a deal with Ottawa.

Williams said the annual hunt is supported by scientists, veterinarians and organizations like the UN and the World Wildlife Fund, and that 90% of seals are killed by bullet.

[33][34] On August 21, 2007, Williams signed a Memorandum of understanding for the Hebron offshore oilfield with several major oil companies in which government royalties were exchanged for a 4.9 percent equity stake in the project.

[39] The next month Williams' Progressive Conservatives increased their seat count to 44 out of 48, after winning a deferred election in Grand Falls-Windsor-Buchans following the death of Liberal candidate Gerry Tobin on October 1.

On September 3, 2009, Williams accused Hydro-Québec of trying to block the Lower Churchill hydroelectric project to protect its own dominance in the marketplace by making a deal with New Brunswick Premier Shawn Graham to buy NB Power's nuclear and hydro generating stations, the transmission system and other assets in a massive deal.

[54] In a speech given on June 9, 2010, Williams strongly denounced "Québec's self interest is harming the provinces, the nation and our country's international reputation".

[59] On November 18, 2010, Williams was joined by Premier of Nova Scotia, Darrell Dexter, in announcing a $6.2 billion agreement to develop the first phase of the Lower Churchill Project.

[60] Nalcor Energy, a Newfoundland and Labrador Crown corporation, signed a partnership agreement with Emera Inc. of Nova Scotia to develop the 824 megawatts Muskrat Falls.

[61] The hydro development would see power from the falls transferred from Labrador to the island of Newfoundland via an underwater transmission link through the Strait of Belle Isle.

[62] Newfoundland and Labrador will use 40 percent of the hydro power itself and will be able to shut down the oil burning Holyrood Thermal Generating Station.

[64] According to polling organisation Corporate Research Associates (CRA), Williams remained by far the most popular provincial or federal leader in the country for the majority of the time he was in office.

[71] After controversies arose surrounding the accidental expropriation of the Grand Falls-Windsor paper mill and the province's readiness to react to a possible oil spill, the Williams led government as well as his personal popularity took a slight hit.

[75] The week following Williams' departure from politics, CRA released a poll conducted during November showing that 90 percent of Newfoundlanders and Labradorians were either completely or mostly satisfied with the performance of the PC government.

[85] Williams joined Alderon Iron Ore Corp as a Special Advisor to the Executive Chairman in 2012, the company is currently involved in mining exploration in the Labrador Trough.

[89] The high amounts of spending done by Williams's government while he was in power have been cited by some critics for the financial situation that Newfoundland and Labrador has been in since 2015.

[91] However, governments and Premiers subsequent to Williams' time in office contributed enormously to the current economic predicament of the province.

In addition to addressing crumbling provincial infrastructure (which bolstered investment and confidence in the province), Williams also championed many impactful policies.

Among others, these policies include: a Poverty Reduction Strategy (which became a national model); the most progressive Student Aid package in the country; a reimagined provincial Tourism Campaign (which produced internationally acclaimed and award winning ads).