Len Simms, who made a play for N.L.’s premier’s office, was a decent man

In 1993, Len Simms took the Progressive Conservatives into a provincial election in Newfoundland and Labrador, against Clyde Wells and the governing Liberals.

It was an uphill battle, and Simms knew it. By the end of it, Simms was still in Opposition, which he led until his retirement a couple of years later.

I interviewed him several times over the years, and I can’t recall him ever being anything but accessible and straight-up. Decent, in other words.

Premier Tony Wakeham, who took the PCs back to power last fall, announced today that Simms had died. He was 82.