Darin King
Encyclopedia
Darin King MHA
, (born August 17) is a Canadian politician in Newfoundland and Labrador
, Canada. King is the Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture in the cabinet
of Kathy Dunderdale
, and is the Member of the House of Assembly
(MHA) for the district
of Grand Bank
.
King was elected to the House of Assembly in the 2007 provincial election
and was re-elected in 2011
. He has previously held the posts of Minister of Education and Minister of Human Resources, Labour and Employment. Prior to entering politics, King was director of education for the Eastern School District of Newfoundland and Labrador
, the province's largest school district.
and raised in the community of Fortune
on Newfoundland's Burin Peninsula
. He attended Memorial University of Newfoundland
where he was awarded a Bachelor of Education
degree and a diploma in School Resources Services. He went on to study at Saint Mary's University in Halifax, Nova Scotia
where he earned a Master of Education
degree. King also has a Business Ph.D, in human resource, from Northcentral University
in Arizona
.
King has lived most of his life in Grand Bank but he now resides in Conception Bay South with his wife Colleen and their two teenage children, Mitchell and Kate.
In addition to his professional experience, King is active in numerous sports and community organizations. He is a past chair of the Grand Bank Recreation Commission, a former board member of the Newfoundland and Labrador Parks and Recreation Association, and a past chair of the Grand Bank Development Corporation.
for the upcoming Newfoundland and Labrador provincial election. The Progressive Conservatives won the October 2003 election
but King was defeated by incumbent Liberal cabinet Minister Judy Foote
, by a margin of 43 votes.
In 2007, King was acclaimed as the Tory candidate in Grand Bank and was granted special leave by the Eastern School District until October's election
. King won his seat in the election after securing 80.03% of the vote over the Liberal candidate.
Following the election King became the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Education. He also served on the House of Assembly Social Services Budget Estimates Committee, and on December 9, 2008 was appointed to the Public Accounts Committee.
King faced criticism from the hard of hearing community in the Summer of 2010 when he announced that the Newfoundland School for the Deaf would not be reopening in September. The school's enrollment had steadily declined over the years due to advancements in medicine and technology and no students were set to attend the school. Students, former students and their parents spoke out against the closing of the school and several students said that government was forcing them to attend public schools.
On January 13, 2011, premier Kathy Dunderdale
shuffled King out of the Education portfolio, replacing him with his predecessor Joan Burke, and appointed him as the Minister of Human, Resources, Labour and Employment.
in December 2010 he stated that he may run to succeed him. On December 22, 2010, King announced that he would not be seeking the leadership of the party at this time due to his young family and that he would be encouraging Premier Kathy Dunderdale
to run for the leadership of the party on a permanent basis.
|Progressive Conservative
|Darin King
|align="right"|3,271
|align="right"|68.52
|align="right"|-11.51
|-
|Liberal
|Carol Anne Haley
|align="right"|1,336
|align="right"|27.98
|align="right"|+8.01
|-
|NDP
|Wally Layman
|align="right"|167
|align="right"|3.5
|align="right"|+3.5
|}
|-
|Progressive Conservative
|Darin King
|align="right"|3563
|align="right"|80.03
|align="right"|+31.5
|-
|Liberal
|Rod Cake
|align="right"|889
|align="right"|19.97
|align="right"|-29.35
|}
|-
|Liberal
|Judy Foote
|align="right"|3101
|align="right"|49.32
|align="right"|-20.86
|-
|Progressive Conservative
|Darin King
|align="right"|3058
|align="right"|48.53
|align="right"|-28.24
|-
|NDP
|Bill Wakeley
|align="right"|136
|align="right"|2.15
|align="right"|-7.37
|}
Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly
The Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly is one of two components of the General Assembly of Newfoundland and Labrador, the other being the Lieutenant-Governor of Newfoundland and Labrador. The Newfoundland and Labrador General Assembly meets in the Confederation Building at St...
, (born August 17) is a Canadian politician in Newfoundland and Labrador
Newfoundland and Labrador
Newfoundland and Labrador is the easternmost province of Canada. Situated in the country's Atlantic region, it incorporates the island of Newfoundland and mainland Labrador with a combined area of . As of April 2011, the province's estimated population is 508,400...
, Canada. King is the Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture in the cabinet
Executive Council of Newfoundland and Labrador
The Executive Council of Newfoundland and Labrador is the cabinet of that Canadian province....
of Kathy Dunderdale
Kathy Dunderdale
Kathleen Mary Margaret "Kathy" Dunderdale MHA is a Canadian politician and the tenth and current Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada, having served in this capacity since December 3, 2010...
, and is the Member of the House of Assembly
Member of the House of Assembly
A Member of the House of Assembly is a member of the Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly in Canada.Other Provinces and TerritoriesMembers of other Canadian provincial and territorial assemblies employ the titles:...
(MHA) for the district
Electoral district (Canada)
An electoral district in Canada, also known as a constituency or a riding, is a geographical constituency upon which Canada's representative democracy is based...
of Grand Bank
Grand Bank (electoral district)
Grand Bank is a provincial electoral district for the House of Assembly of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. Prior to the 1974 redistribution, the district was called Burin....
.
King was elected to the House of Assembly in the 2007 provincial election
Newfoundland and Labrador general election, 2007
The 47th Newfoundland and Labrador general election was held on October 9, 2007 to elect members of the 46th General Assembly of Newfoundland and Labrador, the 18th general election for the province of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada.-Campaign:...
and was re-elected in 2011
Newfoundland and Labrador general election, 2011
The 48th Newfoundland and Labrador general election occurred on October 11, 2011, to elect members of the 47th General Assembly of Newfoundland and Labrador, the 19th election for the province of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada...
. He has previously held the posts of Minister of Education and Minister of Human Resources, Labour and Employment. Prior to entering politics, King was director of education for the Eastern School District of Newfoundland and Labrador
Eastern School District of Newfoundland and Labrador
Eastern School District of Newfoundland and Labrador is the de facto school board for the eastern portion of the island of Newfoundland. It covers the following regions:* Avalon East* Avalon West* Burin Peninsula...
, the province's largest school district.
Early life and education
King was born in Grand Bank, Newfoundland and LabradorGrand Bank, Newfoundland and Labrador
Grand Bank, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada or 'Grand Banc' as the first French settlers pronounced it, is a small rural town with a population of 2,580. It is located on the southern tip or "toe" of the Burin Peninsula , 360 km from the province's capital of St...
and raised in the community of Fortune
Fortune, Newfoundland and Labrador
Fortune is a Canadian town located in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador.Fortune is situated on the western side of the Burin Peninsula on the island of Newfoundland and was incorporated as a town in 1945. The town is located near the southeastern boundary of Fortune Bay...
on Newfoundland's Burin Peninsula
Burin Peninsula
The Burin Peninsula is a Canadian peninsula located on the south coast of the island of Newfoundland in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador....
. He attended Memorial University of Newfoundland
Memorial University of Newfoundland
Memorial University of Newfoundland, is a comprehensive university located primarily in St...
where he was awarded a Bachelor of Education
Bachelor of Education
A Bachelor of Education is an undergraduate academic degree which qualifies the graduate as a teacher in schools.-North America:...
degree and a diploma in School Resources Services. He went on to study at Saint Mary's University in Halifax, Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
where he earned a Master of Education
Master of Education
The Master of Education is a postgraduate academic master's degree awarded by universities in a large number of countries. This degree in education often includes the following majors: curriculum and instruction, counseling, and administration. It is often conferred for educators advancing in...
degree. King also has a Business Ph.D, in human resource, from Northcentral University
Northcentral University
Northcentral University is a private, for-profit, accredited university based in Prescott Valley, Arizona, that offers distance education. It was established in 1996 and is currently owned by Rockbridge Growth Equity, LLC, Falcon Investments, LLC, and the school's founder, Donald Hecht...
in Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
.
King has lived most of his life in Grand Bank but he now resides in Conception Bay South with his wife Colleen and their two teenage children, Mitchell and Kate.
Professional life
King taught at all levels in the K-12 school system and went on to work for five years as a school administrator. After this he worked with the Burin Peninsula School Board where he spent four years as the assistant director of education (programs) and another two years as the associate assistant director (human resources). King joined the newly created Eastern School District in 2004 as the assistant director of education (programs) and he eventually became the CEO/Director of Education with the school board.In addition to his professional experience, King is active in numerous sports and community organizations. He is a past chair of the Grand Bank Recreation Commission, a former board member of the Newfoundland and Labrador Parks and Recreation Association, and a past chair of the Grand Bank Development Corporation.
Political career
In May 2003, King defeated Gordon Dunphy to win the Tory nomination in the district of Grand BankGrand Bank (electoral district)
Grand Bank is a provincial electoral district for the House of Assembly of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. Prior to the 1974 redistribution, the district was called Burin....
for the upcoming Newfoundland and Labrador provincial election. The Progressive Conservatives won the October 2003 election
Newfoundland and Labrador general election, 2003
The 46th Newfoundland and Labrador general election was held on October 21, 2003, to elect the 48 members of the 45th General Assembly of Newfoundland and Labrador, the 17th general election for the province of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada...
but King was defeated by incumbent Liberal cabinet Minister Judy Foote
Judy Foote
Judy Foote is a Canadian politician from Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. She represented the electoral district of Grand Bank in the Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly from 1996 to 2007 as a member of the Liberal Party. Foote has been the Liberal Member of Parliament for the riding of...
, by a margin of 43 votes.
In 2007, King was acclaimed as the Tory candidate in Grand Bank and was granted special leave by the Eastern School District until October's election
Newfoundland and Labrador general election, 2007
The 47th Newfoundland and Labrador general election was held on October 9, 2007 to elect members of the 46th General Assembly of Newfoundland and Labrador, the 18th general election for the province of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada.-Campaign:...
. King won his seat in the election after securing 80.03% of the vote over the Liberal candidate.
Following the election King became the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Education. He also served on the House of Assembly Social Services Budget Estimates Committee, and on December 9, 2008 was appointed to the Public Accounts Committee.
Minister
On April 9, 2009, King was sworn in as Minister of Education, succeeding Joan Burke.King faced criticism from the hard of hearing community in the Summer of 2010 when he announced that the Newfoundland School for the Deaf would not be reopening in September. The school's enrollment had steadily declined over the years due to advancements in medicine and technology and no students were set to attend the school. Students, former students and their parents spoke out against the closing of the school and several students said that government was forcing them to attend public schools.
On January 13, 2011, premier Kathy Dunderdale
Kathy Dunderdale
Kathleen Mary Margaret "Kathy" Dunderdale MHA is a Canadian politician and the tenth and current Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada, having served in this capacity since December 3, 2010...
shuffled King out of the Education portfolio, replacing him with his predecessor Joan Burke, and appointed him as the Minister of Human, Resources, Labour and Employment.
Leadership aspirations
King has been seen as possible leadership candidate for the Progressive Conservatives since entering politics and following the resignation of Premier Danny WilliamsDanny Williams (politician)
Daniel E. "Danny" Williams, QC, MHA is a Canadian politician, businessman and lawyer who served as the ninth Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador between November 6, 2003, and December 3, 2010. Williams was born and raised in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador...
in December 2010 he stated that he may run to succeed him. On December 22, 2010, King announced that he would not be seeking the leadership of the party at this time due to his young family and that he would be encouraging Premier Kathy Dunderdale
Kathy Dunderdale
Kathleen Mary Margaret "Kathy" Dunderdale MHA is a Canadian politician and the tenth and current Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada, having served in this capacity since December 3, 2010...
to run for the leadership of the party on a permanent basis.
Electoral history
|-|Progressive Conservative
|Darin King
Darin King
Darin King MHA, is a Canadian politician in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. King is the Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture in the cabinet of Kathy Dunderdale, and is the Member of the House of Assembly for the district of Grand Bank....
|align="right"|3,271
|align="right"|68.52
|align="right"|-11.51
|-
|Liberal
|Carol Anne Haley
|align="right"|1,336
|align="right"|27.98
|align="right"|+8.01
|-
|NDP
|Wally Layman
|align="right"|167
|align="right"|3.5
|align="right"|+3.5
|}
|-
|Progressive Conservative
|Darin King
Darin King
Darin King MHA, is a Canadian politician in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. King is the Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture in the cabinet of Kathy Dunderdale, and is the Member of the House of Assembly for the district of Grand Bank....
|align="right"|3563
|align="right"|80.03
|align="right"|+31.5
|-
|Liberal
|Rod Cake
|align="right"|889
|align="right"|19.97
|align="right"|-29.35
|}
|-
|Liberal
|Judy Foote
Judy Foote
Judy Foote is a Canadian politician from Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. She represented the electoral district of Grand Bank in the Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly from 1996 to 2007 as a member of the Liberal Party. Foote has been the Liberal Member of Parliament for the riding of...
|align="right"|3101
|align="right"|49.32
|align="right"|-20.86
|-
|Progressive Conservative
|Darin King
Darin King
Darin King MHA, is a Canadian politician in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. King is the Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture in the cabinet of Kathy Dunderdale, and is the Member of the House of Assembly for the district of Grand Bank....
|align="right"|3058
|align="right"|48.53
|align="right"|-28.24
|-
|NDP
|Bill Wakeley
|align="right"|136
|align="right"|2.15
|align="right"|-7.37
|}