Ed Byrne (politician)
| Ed Byrne | |
|---|---|
| Leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Newfoundland and Labrador | |
|
In office 1998–2001 |
|
| Preceded by | Loyola Sullivan |
| Succeeded by | Danny Williams |
| MHA for Kilbride | |
|
In office 1993–2007 |
|
| Preceded by | Bob Aylward |
| Succeeded by | John Dinn |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1963 (age 53–54) |
| Political party | Progressive Conservative |
| Occupation | Politician |
Ed Byrne (born 1963) was a Canadian politician, formerly a member of the Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly. He served as leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Newfoundland and Labrador and opposition leader from 1998 to 2001. When the Conservatives came to power in 2003, he was named Minister of Natural Resources and Government House Leader, being considered the second-most powerful politician in the province after Premier Danny Williams.
Byrne was forced to step down from cabinet in 2006 after it was revealed that he and several other legislators had exceeded their constituency allowance claims, which led to a criminal investigation. He resigned from the Assembly at the end of that year. In 2009, he was convicted of defrauding the Crown of in excess of CAD$100,000 and influence peddling (known more formally in Newfoundland and Labrador as fraud against the government).
Byrne studied at Memorial University of Newfoundland where towards a joint Bachelor of Arts / Bachelor of Education program majoring conjointly in Newfoundland Studies and Religious Studies. In 1984, he was elected President of the University’s Council of the Students’ Union.
He began his career as an adult educator specializing in curriculum development and serving as a skills training coordinator, and he went on to serve as Administrator of the Atlantic Labour Training Trust Fund. For five years, as well, he served as a management consultant.
He wed the daughter of Gerry Ottenheimer, who was then serving as the Deputy-Speaker of the Senate of Canada. Subsequently, Byrne was elected to represent the district of Kilbride in the provincial elections of 1993, 1996, 1999 and 2003. As a Progressive Conservative Member of the House of Assembly, he served in several shadow portfolios including Post-secondary Education, Employment and Labour Relations, Environment, and Industry, Trade and Technology; and as Chair of the Public Accounts Committee.
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