Liberal MP Gerry Byrne grew up on the west coast of rural Newfoundland, dividing his time between Corner Brook, where his father worked for the railroad, and Parson's Pond, where his grandfather ran the general store.
Like most Newfoundland families, politics was often a topic of conversation at the dinner table and wherever else people would meet. Gerry's father, more than once, ran for the NDP, and Gerry's father-in-law was president of the Progressive Conservative Party of Newfoundland. Gerry jokes that the priest at his wedding declared it to be a mixed marriage.
A graduate in marine biology from Dalhousie University, Gerry worked on Brian Tobin's campaign for federal office. When Tobin ran premier of the province, abandoning his seat, Gerry decided that maybe he too should take the plunge, and put his name on the ballot. Gerry won in a by-election in 1996. On May 2, 2011 Gerry was re-elected for a sixth consecutive term. Married to Denise Gibbons of Corner Brook, they have one son.
Gerry Byrne took Catherine Clark on a tour of his riding of Humber-St. Barbe- Baie Verte and spoke to her about his life Beyond Politics.
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