A longtime critic of the Canadian Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) is now himself in charge of the department, as a result of the Jan. 23 federal election that brought the Conservative Party to power after 13 years.
A Member of Parliament from St. John’s South-Mount Pearl, Newfoundland, Loyola Hearn was named to his post by Prime Minister Stephen Harper and sworn in on Feb. 6. He succeeds Geoff Regan of Nova Scotia.
Hearn told a CBC radio interviewer, “I think it’s a tremendous opportunity to try to do something worthwhile for our Province. I’ve been more or less giving directions this past four years as to what should be done and now it’s time to take my own advice and perhaps I’ll get a chance to do some of it.”
Hearn has been a teacher and a school principal, as well as a fisherman. In May 2000 he won a by-election and then retained the seat in a general election that fall.
Hearn was also instrumental in bringing together the Progressive Conservative and Canadian Alliance parties in order to form the Conservative Party of Canada.
On January 23, 2006 Loyola was again re-elected in the riding (district) of St. John’s South-Mount Pearl.
During the election campaign Hearn indicated that he would like to see a commercial cod fishery this summer on the northeast coast of Newfoundland.