Loyola Hearn
28th Canadian Ambassador to Ireland
In office
November 19, 2010  August 2014
Preceded byPat Binns
Succeeded byKevin Vickers
Member of Parliament
for St. John's South—Mount Pearl
In office
June 28, 2004  7 September 2008
Preceded byfirst member
Succeeded bySiobhán Coady
Member of Parliament
for St. John's West
In office
May 15, 2000  June 28, 2004
Preceded byCharlie Power
Succeeded byRiding Dissolved
Member of the Newfoundland House of Assembly
In office
1982–1993
Personal details
Born (1943-03-25) March 25, 1943
Renews, Newfoundland
Political partyConservative Party of Canada
SpouseMaureen Hearn
Residence(s)Renews, Newfoundland and Labrador
Alma materMemorial University of Newfoundland, University of New Brunswick
ProfessionTeacher/Principal
PortfolioMinister of Fisheries and Oceans

Loyola Hearn, PC (born March 25, 1943) is a Canadian diplomat and former politician. Hearn is the former Canadian Ambassador to Ireland. He served as a Member of the House of Commons of Canada from 2000 to 2008, and as Minister of Fisheries and Oceans from February 6, 2006 to October 30, 2008.

Biography

Early life

Hearn was born in the fishing village of Renews, Newfoundland, where he received his early education. After graduating from high school, he began his studies at Memorial University of Newfoundland and the University of New Brunswick.

Career

After graduating from the university, he started a teaching career in Renews. Hearn then served in the Newfoundland House of Assembly from 1982 to 1993, and served as Minister of Education from 1985 to 1989. Hearn was a candidate in the 1989 Progressive Conservative Leadership Convention to replace outgoing Premier Brian Peckford, the eventual winner was Tom Rideout.

Hearn went on to enter federal politics and was a member of the Conservative Party of Canada in the House of Commons of Canada, representing the riding of St. John's West from 2000 to 2003 and St. John's South—Mount Pearl from 2003 to 2008. He was a member of the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada from 2000 to 2004, and was active in representing the party during its merger discussions with the Canadian Alliance. Those discussions culminated in the merger of the two parties in December 2003, to the Conservative Party of Canada. Hearn served as the first House Leader of the newly created party until it had its first leadership convention.

He has served (either before or after the merger) as the Progressive Conservative Party House Leader, Conservative Party House Leader, Opposition House Leader, Canadian Heritage Critic, Public Works and Government Services Critic, and Critic of the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons.

Following his victory in the 2006 federal election he was named Minister of Fisheries and Oceans on February 6, 2006. As Minister of Fisheries and Oceans, Hearn has been active in defending the controversial east coast seal hunt. In this role, he claimed that several observers from the Humane Society of the United States had been arrested for illegal activity during their campaign against the seal hunt, but was later forced to apologize under threat of a libel suit, as no arrests had in fact taken place.[1]

Hearn has also had to deal with the crises in several rural Newfoundland communities involving the sale of fish plants by Fishery Products International to Ocean Choice, often being in conflict with the provincial government, business and unions.[2]

A few days prior to the dissolution of Parliament in September 2008, Hearn announced that he would not stand for re-election in the 2008 election.[3]

Ambassador to Ireland

On November 19, 2010, Lawrence Cannon, Canada's Minister of Foreign Affairs, announced the appointment of Hearn as Canada's Ambassador to Ireland, succeeding Pat Binns.[4] Hearn's term as ambassador ended on January 19, 2015 and was replaced by Kevin Vickers.[5]

In 2018, Hearn endorsed Ches Crosbie in the 2018 provincial PC leadership race.

Hearn endorsed Peter Mackay in the 2020 Conservative Party of Canada leadership election.

Personal life

Hearn has a son, David (January 1979), and a daughter, Laurita (February 1976), with his wife, Maureen Hearn.[6][7][8]

Electoral record

St. John's West1993 Canadian federal election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
LiberalJean Payne24,021
Progressive ConservativeLoyola Hearn16,380
New DemocraticSharon Walsh1,740
ReformDana Tucker1,041
Natural LawGuy Harvey459
St. John's West By-election – May 15, 2000
Resignation of Charles J. Power
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Progressive ConservativeLoyola Hearn11,392
New DemocraticGreg Malone11,036
LiberalAnthony G. Sparrow8,032
AllianceFrank Hall1,315
IndependentE. Sailor White332
St. John's West2000 Canadian federal election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Progressive ConservativeLoyola Hearn22,959
LiberalChuck Furey14,137
New DemocraticDave Curtis4,744
AllianceEldon Drost840
Natural LawMichael Rendell141
St. John's South—Mount Pearl2004 Canadian federal election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
ConservativeLoyola Hearn13,33039.57-16.2
LiberalSiobhán Coady11,87935.26+5.0
New DemocraticPeg Norman798923.71+10.3
GreenSteve Willcott4931.46Ø
Total valid votes 33,69152.6%
St. John's South—Mount Pearl2006 Canadian federal election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
ConservativeLoyola Hearn16,64444.68+5.11
LiberalSiobhán Coady12,29533.00-2.26
New DemocraticPeg Norman807921.69-2.02
GreenBarry Crozier2350.63-0.83
Total valid votes 37,253100.0%
Total rejected ballots 1240.33%
Turnout 37,371 58.3% +5.7%

References

  1. "Hearn apologizes to seal hunt protesters". cbc.ca, May 16, 2006. Retrieved 2014-04-27.
  2. "Union, Ocean Choice rap Hearn over quota stand". CBC News. May 4, 2007. Retrieved 2014-04-27.
  3. "Emerson, Hearn will not seek re-election". CTV News. September 2, 2008. Retrieved 2018-05-11.
  4. "PM rewards Loyola Hearn with plum Dublin post". The Globe and Mail. November 19, 2010. Retrieved 2023-01-11.
  5. "Kevin Vickers named ambassador to Ireland Social Sharing". CBC News. Jan 8, 2015. Retrieved June 3, 2021.
  6. Loyola Hearn, Notable Names Database
  7. The Honourable Loyola Hearn, Prime Minister of Canada (pm.gc.ca)
  8. Family Tree Archived 2004-12-12 at the Wayback Machine, fromclaretohere.freeservers.com
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