Corner Brook MHA Gerry Byrne joins exodus of N.L. Liberals leaving politics

1 month_ago 24

Gerry Byrne, Corner Brook MHA and Minister of Jobs, Immigration, and Growth, announced connected Thursday helium volition not question re-election successful the province's upcoming election.

Byrne spent 3 decades successful politics, archetypal serving federally

Jenna Head · CBC News

· Posted: Jul 17, 2025 2:35 PM EDT | Last Updated: 6 hours ago

Man successful suit stands successful park.

After 33 years successful politics, seasoned furniture curate Gerry Byrne is the latest Liberal person to bow retired up of the provincial election.

"I've ne'er felt much connected apical of what I do, but possibly that's the clip that you let caller faces to determination successful down you to go the adjacent Gerry Byrne," helium told reporters connected Thursday, adding that determination whitethorn beryllium a acquainted sanction connected the ballot immoderate day.

Byrne said the adjacent Gerry Byrne successful authorities could beryllium his son, besides named Gerry Byrne.

"My lad is going to instrumentality schoolhouse this fall, and you whitethorn spot my son's sanction connected a ballot 1 day. You volition perchance spot Gerry Byrne backmost connected a ballot again, but it won't beryllium this Gerry Byrne," helium said.

7 headshots of politicians broadside by side

In the meantime, Byrne said helium feels helium is leaving authorities astatine a bully time.

"If I had immoderate concerns for my enactment and for my person successful the adjacent provincial election, I would not beryllium retired," helium said.

Bryne pointed to the party's imaginable incoming candidates.

"We've got 2 mayors who conscionable came forward. The politician of Grand Falls-Windsor, the politician of Marystown, came guardant looking to question the motion of the Liberal Party of Newfoundland and Labrador," helium said.

Some of these candidates, Byrne said, would typically beryllium associated with the Progressive Conservatives.

"What does that archer you? I'll archer you what it tells me. This aged feline who knows this concern reasonably well, adjacent the PCs don't deliberation they're gonna get in," helium said.

A provincial predetermination has yet to beryllium called, but indispensable hap connected oregon earlier Oct. 14.

Three-decade governmental career

Byrne's governmental vocation started connected Parliament Hill. He was archetypal elected to the House of Commons for the territory of Humber—St. Barbe—Baie Verte successful 1996.

He was re-elected six consecutive times and served arsenic the national furniture curate of authorities nether Prime Minister Jean Chrétien.

Byrne near national authorities successful 2015, trading the rubric of Member of Parliament for subordinate of Newfoundland and Labrador's House of Assembly.

WATCH | Byrne says a John Hogan-led N.L. is successful large shape:

Gerry Byrne assured successful Premier Hogan’s enactment contempt bowing retired of election

Gerry Byrne, the Liberal MHA for Corner Brook, has joined an exodus of MHAs stepping distant from authorities up of the adjacent election. But speaking with reporters astir his decision, helium says it isn’t due to the fact that of a deficiency of religion successful Premier John Hogan.

Elected successful the territory of Corner Brook, Byrne has served arsenic a provincial furniture curate for the past decade.

He is presently the Minister of Jobs, Immigration, and Growth. With respective furniture ministers leaving alongside him, Byrne said helium is not leaving due to the fact that of the Liberals' caller enactment change.

"Premier John Hogan has my implicit support, and successful fact, if I bash person 1 regret, I would truly similar to service nether him," Byrne said.

"He's going to beryllium the champion premier we've ever had."

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