Cabinet - Biographies of the Ministers

Bob Ridgley was born and raised in St. John's. He graduated from St. Patrick's Hall School, after which he obtained a B.A. from Iona College in New York. He later obtained a B.Ed. and a Graduate Diploma in Education Administration from Memorial University. After 18 years as a teacher, principal and school board supervisor, Mr. Ridgley pursued a career in business for 13 years. In 2000, Mr. Ridgley was appointed Executive Assistant to St. John's East M.P. Norman Doyle.

Mr. Ridgley has had extensive experience in public life, having served eight years as a Town Councillor in Torbay. He is a Life Member of the Kinsmen Club of Canada and has served on the Board of Directors of the Kinsmen Manor for Seniors. He has received national recognition for his writing and public speaking abilities.

He was sworn in as the Member for St. John's North on November 12, 2003. He was appointed Chair of the P.C. Caucus on July 7, 2006.

Bob is married to Elizabeth (Manning) and they have two daughters, Carolyn and Erin.

Terry French was first elected in a by-election on November 12, 2002, to succeed his father, Bob, who passed away while in office, Terry French has served as the Intergovernmental Affairs critic for the Official Opposition, as critic for Government Services and Lands and as the Parliamentary Assistant to Opposition Leader Danny Williams. From 1997 to 2002, he served as Executive Assistant to St. John's East Member of Parliament Norman Doyle.

Mr. French is a graduate of Queen Elizabeth High School in Foxtrap in 1984. He subsequently attended Memorial University until joining his father in a family business in 1986.

He has strong involvement in the community, particularly in community sports. He served as a member of the Board of Governors of the Conception Bay South Sports Hall of Fame, a volunteer in the Summer Games in Conception Bay South, a Conception Bay South Minor Softball Coach, a member of the Conception Bay South Softball Umpire Association, and a Level 4 Umpire working at the National Softball Tournament.

Mr. French was appointed Parliamentary Assistant to the Premier on November 6, 2003. He was sworn in as the Member for Conception Bay South on November 12, 2003. On January 19, 2007, he was appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Human Resources, Labour and Employment.

Mr. French is married to Denise (Butt) and they have a daughter, Abbey, and son, Harold.

First elected to the House of Assembly in 2002, Harry Harding was re-elected as Member for Bonavista North in 2003.

Originally from Greenspond, he attended Bishop's College in St. John's, Gander District Vocational School, and Memorial University. For the past 29 years, Mr. Harding and his wife Abbie have lived in Badger's Quay. They have two children, Jamie and Patty. Immediately prior to being elected to the House, Mr. Harding was employed as resource manager with Beothic Fish Processors Ltd. in Valleyfield for 14 years. He has also worked as a town clerk/manager for 15 years with the rural district of Badger's Quay-Valleyfield-Pool's Island. He also worked as a payroll clerk/office manager with St. Lawrence Construction at Churchill Falls and Labrador City, as a teacher at Greenspond and Wareham, as a plant worker with Fishery Products International and as a labourer with Fishermen's Union Trading Company in Greenspond. Mr. Harding has been very active in community life, having served with distinction as a volunteer in many organizations, including with Lions, Badger's Quay Fire Department, Cape Freels Development Association and Newfoundland and Labrador Association of Municipal Administrators. Awards he has received include the Melvin Jones Fellow (the highest award from the International Association of Lions Clubs).

On March 14, 2006, he was appointed to serve as Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Human Resources, Labour and Employment. On January 19, 2007, he was appointed to serve as the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture.

Mr. Hutchings was born the youngest of six children and grew up in the small community of Mobile on the Southern Shore. He attended St. Bernard's Elementary School in Witless Bay and Mobile Central High in his later years. He was an avid athlete and participated in many sports including hockey, running, ball hockey and golf. Mr. Hutchings stills plays today and also has coached minor softball, soccer and hockey. He has also been active as a volunteer.

Mr. Hutchings attended Memorial University and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts (Major in Political Science and Minor in History) and completed a Certificate in Public Administration. He continued his education in later years and completed an Occupational Health and Safety Program from Ryerson University in Toronto. Keith has also completed courses toward a Masters Program in Public Administration from Dalhousie University in Halifax.

Mr. Hutchings professional career has included 11 years with the Workplace Health Safety and Compensation Commission in various positions including managing various departments within the organization.

On February 8, 2007 Mr. Hutchings offered himself as the Progressive Conservative Party candidate in the by-election for the District of Ferryland and was bestowed a tremendous privilege by the voters when elected as the 9th Member of the House of Assembly for the District of Ferryland since Confederation.

Mr. Hutchings is married to Lynn Croft of Aquaforte and they have 2 young children age 8 and 10.

Derrick Dalley top
Member for the Isles of Notre Dame

Derrick Dalley was born in Twillingate, Notre Dame Bay. He spent his early childhood in Springdale and later returned to Twillingate where he completed high school at J.M.Olds Collegiate. He graduated from Memorial University in 1987 with Bachelor Degrees in Arts and Education which included a political science major. In 1992, he completed a Masters Degree in Guidance and Counselling at the University of New Brunswick.

Mr. Dalley started his career as a social worker in Twillingate. After a year he moved to Education and became the guidance Counsellor in Baie Verte. For seven years Derrick continued in his role as guidance counselor for several schools on the Baie Verte Peninsula before moving to Twillingate in 1995. He continued his career in education in various capacities, including principal of Inter Island Academy of New World Island and guidance counsellor and principal of J. M. Olds Academy of Twillingate.

Mr. Dalley has always been very active in the area of sports, having participated in many sports including hockey and softball. He has spent much of his free time coaching and teaching hockey and working with students who are actively involved in school life.

Mr. Dalley was first elected as a member of the House of Assembly for the District of The Isles of Notre Dame in the election of October 9, 2007. He was appointed as Vice-Chair of the Public Accounts Committee on January 9, 2008. He was appointed parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Education on April 9, 2009.

Derrick lives in Twillingate with his wife Anne Marie and two children Zachary and Samantha.