Gerry Byrne says if Premier Furey had announced his intended resignation at a different time, he would have seeked the premiership.
Fisheries Minister and Corner Brook MHA Gerry Byrne started his political career in 1996. His first task was to amend the Canadian Constitution as a brand new NL member in Ottawa which played a pivotal role in supporting education. As part of a federal cabinet, Byrne also was among those who chose not to send soldiers into conflict in Iraq, even though there was huge pressure from the U.S to join.
Byrne says some decisions were heavy and difficult. One was to send Canadian forces into combat in Afghanistan, in which 158 soldiers paid the ultimate price. He says while all of his experiences have led to a point where he has never felt more ready to take on a role of leadership, Byrne says he can’t do it at this time. He says he would have to resign as Fisheries Minister but if the Premier had announced his intended resignation at a different time, he would have seeked the premiership. As the former Immigration Minister Byrne was also involved in a NL cabinet which reversed 50 years of population decline.
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