# Wayne Easter

Wayne Easter PC (born June 22, 1949) is a former Canadian politician who represented the riding of Malpeque, Prince Edward Island from 1993 to 2021.

## Before politics

Born in North Wiltshire, Prince Edward Island, the son of A. Leith Easter and Hope MacLeod, he was educated at the Charlottetown Rural High School and the Nova Scotia Agricultural College. Easter received an honorary doctorate of law from University of Prince Edward Island in 1988 for his work and contribution to agriculture and social activism on a national and international level. He was awarded the Governor General's Canada 125 Medal in 1992 for community service. In 1970, he married Helen Arleighn Laird. Easter operated a dairy, beef and grain farm near North Wiltshire. He is a former president of the National Farmers Union.
Wayne and his wife Helen live in North Wiltshire and have two grown children.

## Federal politics

Easter served as a member of the Liberal Party of Canada in the House of Commons of Canada, representing the electoral district of Malpeque in the province of Prince Edward Island from 1993 to 2021.
Easter entered federal politics in 1993 when he was elected as the Member of Parliament for the riding of Malpeque, P.E.I. He was re-elected in 1997, 2000, 2004, 2006, 2008, 2011, 2015, and 2019.
He served in Prime Minister Jean Chrétien's Cabinet as Solicitor General of Canada from 2002–2003. He also served as Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans from 1997–1999, and to the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, with a special emphasis on rural development from 2004–2006.
From 2006 to 2014, Easter has served several critic roles. He was the critic for Agriculture and Agri-Food and the Canadian Wheat Board from 2006–2011, International Trade from 2011–2013, and Liberal Party critic for Public Safety from 2013–2015.
Easter held the position of Co-Chair for the Canada- U.S. Inter-Parliamentary Association, and also held the position of Chair for the Government of Canada Legislators Finance Committee.

## Electoral record

vte2019 Canadian federal election: Malpeque :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Expenditures |
| | Liberal | Wayne Easter | 9,533 | 41.38 | −20.70 | $52,375.96 |
| | Green | Anna Keenan | 6,103 | 26.49 | +17.30 | $24,970.77 |
| | Conservative | Stephen Stewart | 5,908 | 25.64 | +8.08 | $47,940.85 |
| | New Democratic | Craig Nash | 1,495 | 6.49 | −4.68 | $2,413.92 |
| Total valid votes/expense limit | Total valid votes/expense limit | Total valid votes/expense limit | 23,039 | 98.77 | | $87,624.55 |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | 288 | 1.23 | +0.78 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 23,327 | 76.29 | −2.56 |
| Eligible voters | Eligible voters | Eligible voters | 30,576 |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | Swing | −19.00 |
| Source: Elections Canada |||||||
vte2015 Canadian federal election: Malpeque :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Expenditures |
| | Liberal | Wayne Easter | 13,950 | 62.08 | +19.68 | $84,420.76 |
| | Conservative | Stephen Stewart | 3,947 | 17.56 | –21.54 | $40,127.00 |
| | New Democratic | Leah-Jane Hayward | 2,509 | 11.17 | –3.46 | $6,264.15 |
| | Green | Lynne Lund | 2,066 | 9.19 | +5.32 | $12,265.59 |
| Total valid votes/expense limit | Total valid votes/expense limit | Total valid votes/expense limit | 22,472 | 99.55 | | $170,512.40 |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | 102 | 0.45 | +0.01 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 22,574 | 79.05 | +1.58 |
| Eligible voters | Eligible voters | Eligible voters | 28,556 |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | Swing | +20.61 |
| Source: Elections Canada |||||||
vte2011 Canadian federal election: Malpeque :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Expenditures |
| | Liberal | Wayne Easter | 8,605 | 42.40 | -1.79 | $47,363.15 |
| | Conservative | Tim Ogilvie | 7,934 | 39.10 | -0.18 | $62.426.68 |
| | New Democratic | Rita Jackson | 2,970 | 14.63 | +4.96 | $5,426.11 |
| | Green | Peter Bevan-Baker | 785 | 3.87 | -2.99 | $1,367.33 |
| Total valid votes/expense limit | Total valid votes/expense limit | Total valid votes/expense limit | 20,294 | 100.0 | | $69,634.73 |
| Total rejected, unmarked and declined ballots | Total rejected, unmarked and declined ballots | Total rejected, unmarked and declined ballots | 90 | 0.44 | -0.16 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 20,384 | 77.47 | +6.06 |
| Eligible voters | Eligible voters | Eligible voters | 26,311 |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | Swing | -0.80 |
| Sources: |||||||
vte2008 Canadian federal election: Malpeque :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Expenditures |
| | Liberal | Wayne Easter | 8,312 | 44.19 | -6.29 | $51,835.54 |
| | Conservative | Mary Crane | 7,388 | 39.28 | +4.65 | $56,705.00 |
| | New Democratic | J'Nan Brown | 1,819 | 9.67 | -0.57 | $5,225.01 |
| | Green | Peter Bevan-Baker | 1,291 | 6.86 | +2.21 | $3,626.22 |
| Total valid votes/expense limit | Total valid votes/expense limit | Total valid votes/expense limit | 18,810 | 100.0 | | $67,177 |
| Total rejected, unmarked and declined ballots | Total rejected, unmarked and declined ballots | Total rejected, unmarked and declined ballots | 113 | 0.60 | +0.01 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 18,923 | 71.41 | -3.69 |
| Eligible voters | Eligible voters | Eligible voters | 26,498 |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | Swing | -5.47 |
vte2006 Canadian federal election: Malpeque :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Expenditures |
| | Liberal | Wayne Easter | 9,779 | 50.48 | -1.42 | $51,121.23 |
| | Conservative | George Noble | 6,708 | 34.63 | +2.13 | $52,989.45 |
| | New Democratic | George Marshall | 1,983 | 10.24 | +0.15 | $3,388.31 |
| | Green | Sharon Labchuk | 901 | 4.65 | -0.85 | $2,925.11 |
| Total valid votes/expense limit | Total valid votes/expense limit | Total valid votes/expense limit | 19,371 | 100.0 | | $62,210 |
| Total rejected, unmarked and declined ballots | Total rejected, unmarked and declined ballots | Total rejected, unmarked and declined ballots | 114 | 0.59 | -0.17 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 19,485 | 75.10 | +2.09 |
| Eligible voters | Eligible voters | Eligible voters | 25,945 |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | Swing | -1.78 |
vte2004 Canadian federal election: Malpeque :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Expenditures |
| | Liberal | Wayne Easter | 9,782 | 51.90 | +3.28 | $49,256.92 |
| | Conservative | Mary Crane | 6,126 | 32.50 | -13.28 | $52,127.38 |
| | New Democratic | Ken Bingham | 1,902 | 10.09 | +5.86 | $3,055.96 |
| | Green | Sharon Labchuk | 1,037 | 5.50 | +4.15 | $2,989.44 |
| Total valid votes/expense limit | Total valid votes/expense limit | Total valid votes/expense limit | 18,847 | 100.0 | | $60,645 |
| Total rejected, unmarked and declined ballots | Total rejected, unmarked and declined ballots | Total rejected, unmarked and declined ballots | 144 | 0.76 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 18,991 | 73.01 |
| Eligible voters | Eligible voters | Eligible voters | 26,010 |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | Swing | +8.28 |
| Change for the Conservatives is from the combined totals of the Progressive Conservatives and the Canadian Alliance. |||||||
vte2000 Canadian federal election: Malpeque :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Wayne Easter | 8,972 | 48.62 | +3.53 |
| | Progressive Conservative | Jim Gorman | 7,186 | 38.94 | -2.05 |
| | Alliance | Chris Wall | 1,263 | 6.84 | +3.53 |
| | New Democratic | Ken Bingham | 781 | 4.23 | -6.39 |
| | Green | Jeremy Stiles | 250 | 1.35 | |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 18,452 | 100.00 |
| Changes for the Canadian Alliance from 1997 are based on the results of its predecessor, the Reform Party. |||||||
vte1997 Canadian federal election: Malpeque :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Wayne Easter | 7,912 | 45.09 | -16.03 |
| | Progressive Conservative | Jimmie Gorman | 7,194 | 40.99 | +9.80 |
| | New Democratic | Andrew Wells | 1,863 | 10.62 | +6.21 |
| | Reform | Stephen Livingstone | 580 | 3.31 | |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 17,549 | 100.00 |