J. Esmonde Barry
Encyclopedia
Joseph Esmonde Barry was a prominent healthcare activist and political commentator in New Brunswick
, Canada
. Perhaps best known as the voice of the Friends of St. Joseph's, an organisation which was instrumental in keeping St. Joseph's Hospital open in Saint John
's uptown. Barry also lobbied for compensation for those involved in the hepatitis C
tainted blood scandal of the 1980s
.
parents on 25 October 1923 in Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada. His father was P. Esmonde Barry, who served as Private Secretary to The Honourable William Pugsley, PC, QC
prior to being appointed Postmaster on the trains between Montreal
and Halifax
. P. Esmonde was the son of James Barry, the son of an Irish immigrant from County Cork
and first principal of St. Malachi's Boys' Grade School
from 1879 to 1902 and federally-appointed District Inspector of Weights and Measures from 1902 until his death in 1923. Esmonde's mother was Eileen (née Horgan) Barry, whose grandparents were also natives of County Cork
. He married H. Maureen (née Strang) Barry on 30 September 1950 at Melrose, NB, with whom he raised a family of 12 children: Brian, Katherine, Kevin, M. Jane, M. Ellen, Ronald, Eileen, P. Gregory, Denis, J. Joseph, Christopher, and Susan. Esmonde and Maureen were married nearly 57 years and, at the time of his death, their family had produced 30 grandchildren and 2 great-grandchildren.
in 1941, he received his Bachelor of Arts from the University of St. Joseph's College in Memramcook
, NB in 1946. Esmonde was a Sales Representative, then Zone Manager for International Harvester Company
between 1947 to 1956. In 1957, he received his Investment Dealer License from the University of New Brunswick Saint John and became a Registered Representative for Eastern Securities Ltd. in 1958. In 1964 he joined Richardson Securities, then began a 16-year tenure at Dominion Securities Corp.
(later Dominion Securities Corp. Harris & Partners Ltd.) in 1970. Barry became Manager of the Saint John office in 1975 and held that position until his retirement in 1986.
. The Friends of St. Joseph's were widely credited with keeping St. Joseph's Hospital open in Saint John's city centre. He likened the quest he began in 1976 to save the facility to a real bare-knuckle fight. "A good fighter, after he's knocked down two or three times, he gets up," Barry once said. "That's what makes a champion. I think we're going to be champions before this is over." For thirty years, he was a strong advocate for improved health care in the Province of New Brunswick. The organisation was resurrected under Barry's leadership during New Brunswick's Liberal McKenna government, at the request of then Saint John Mayor Elsie Wayne
Elsie Wayne
. St. Joseph's Hospital remains open to this day in Saint John.
The healthcare activist is also widely credited for the decision taken by New Brunswick's Liberal Graham
government and Health Minister Michael Murphy, to designate the Saint John Regional Hospital
as the Province's Trauma Centre. Among his final acts, Barry submitted an opinion editorial on the subject to his son, Telegraph-Journal
Managing Editor Ronald Barry. In his submission ('Politics Must Take Back Seat in Trauma Centre Debate'), which was published four days after his passing, he wrote, "Common sense demands intelligent and reasoned vision of the future. Saint John is the largest industrial city in New Brunswick and no other municipality compares with it....[T]here is greater risk of serious injury and trauma than in any other area in the province." Barry called on local politicians and business leaders to serve their community as strong and vocal advocates for locating the Trauma Centre in Saint John. In the end, Barry's hope that healthcare would prevail over politics became a reality.
Esmonde gave 60 years of service to the Knights of Columbus
, the world’s largest Catholic family fraternal service organisation, having joined in 1947. He has held the positions of Member, Recorder, Chancellor, Deputy Grand Knight, Grand Knight (1964–66), State Treasurer and State Deputy for the Province of New Brunswick
. At the Supreme Office level he was Supreme Director of the Atlantic Provinces
from 1971 to 1974 and Vice Supreme Master of the Fourth Degree for the Atlantic Provinces
in 1979.
Barry also lobbied for compensation for those involved in the hepatitis C tainted blood scandal of the 1980s
. He was himself infected by a blood transfusion during a triple bypass
in Montreal
in 1986. Other organisations and boards Esmonde served on were the Protestant Orphanage Committee; Board Member and first President, Friends of Children's Aid Society; Director Saint John Board of Trustees for School District 20; Director, NB Social Service Council; Member of the Better Business Bureau
; Member of Central Business Development Corporation; Member of the Steering Committee of the Catholic Priests Pension Fund; Member of the Board of Governors of St. Thomas University
; Founding Member and Chairperson of the Friends of St. Joseph's Hospital; Founder of the Coalition for Seniors and Nursing Home Residents' Rights; Founding Member of the Hepatitis C Society, Saint John Chapter; and lastly a Member of the Friends of Healthcare. He received The Bishop William Dollard
Medal of Merit, Diocese of Saint John
, and the Knights of Columbus Pope Paul Medal of Merit.
Following his retirement he contributed with a weekly column in the Catholic New Freeman under the heading "Thoughts for Today" for a period of time. Periodically he was a commentator on 92.7 University of New Brunswick Saint John
(UNBSJ) Radio. He had written many guest commentaries in the Telegraph-Journal
and several articles for the Canadian Messenger. He was the author of Escape from Romania, which was published by Gregory Kennedy in 1993. The book tells Gregory and Patricia Kennedy's story of their adoption of a Romanian girl named Milah.
. His funeral mass was held at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception on 8 August 2007 where his body was led by the honour guard of the Knights of Columbus
. The Cathedral filled with mourners for the funeral which was attended by 25 clergymen, including The Most Rev. Bishop Edward Troy
, Bishop Emeritus and The Most Rev. Bishop Faber MacDonald
, Bishop Emeritus, and celebrated by Barry's brother The Rev. Kevin M. Barry of St. Alphonsus Parish in Hampton
, NB. His body was laid to rest in the rain at St. Joseph's Cemetery in Saint John.
At the time of his passing, many community leaders paid tribute to Barry's contributions to the Province of New Brunswick. McKenna
-era New Brunswick Solicitor General Jane Barry
noted that although she didn't always agree with his point of view, she always respected him. She added, "He certainly was very dedicated to the causes which he believed in, and yes, people like that are somewhat rare.”
In an editorial, the Telegraph-Journal
(New Brunswick’s newspaper of record) noted that, “Barry...believed passionately in the need for proper healthcare in Saint John, and the continued operation of the uptown urgent care centre at St. Joseph’s Hospital. He pursued that goal with equal parts emotion and good sense.” The newspaper added that Barry was known for, “conviction, compassion, strength, courage and love of family....He knew that true politics is not about power and money. It's about doing the right thing.”
Barry's successor as spokesperson for the Friends of St. Joseph's Hospital, Saint John Mayor Ivan Court, noted in his newspaper submission that, “As a health care advocate, he was second-to-none in the Province of New Brunswick...Esmonde’s insight into the problems associated with the delivery of quality healthcare and the solutions for improvement were years ahead of both Hospital Board and Government actions to alleviate the stress on the system....[He] was instrumental in lobbying the government for the introduction of nurse practitioners; higher wages for nurses, doctors and health care workers; reductions in costs for patients in nursing homes; the need for two hospitals in Saint John; and in his final letter to the Telegraph-Journal, the recognition of the Regional Hospital as the Trauma Centre.”
Hatfield
-era New Brunswick Cabinet minister Yvon Poitras
was quoted as saying, “He’s fought for humanitarian causes all his life. He did all of this with nothing in return. More than anything else, I respected him.” While, The Most Rev. Bishop Edward Troy
recalled his friend as a gifted man, a champion of faith and a great family man.
, who are entering post-secondary studies in a healthcare field. The scholarship is valued at $1000 and is awarded to honours or high honours graduates who have participated in volunteer service to benefit others on an ongoing basis. Barry's daughter, Eileen Keating, presented the first two scholarships in 2008.
In recognition for his community contributions, Barry was posthumously awarded the New Brunswick Day Merit Award for Public Service by Saint John Mayor Ivan Court and Hon. Ed Doherty, M.D., Minister of Post-Secondary Education, Training and Labour
. It was accepted by his wife, Maureen Barry on 25 July 2008.
Maureen Barry also accepted an award posthumously presented to her husband at Saint John Common Council in recognition of his contributions in founding the Coalition for Seniors and Nursing Homes Residents' Rights. Coalition President Hector J. Cormier remarked, "(We pay) special tribute to the late Esmonde Barry for his determination to bring together individuals and groups for a common and most worthy cause."
New Brunswick
New Brunswick is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the only province in the federation that is constitutionally bilingual . The provincial capital is Fredericton and Saint John is the most populous city. Greater Moncton is the largest Census Metropolitan Area...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. Perhaps best known as the voice of the Friends of St. Joseph's, an organisation which was instrumental in keeping St. Joseph's Hospital open in Saint John
Saint John, New Brunswick
City of Saint John , or commonly Saint John, is the largest city in the province of New Brunswick, and the first incorporated city in Canada. The city is situated along the north shore of the Bay of Fundy at the mouth of the Saint John River. In 2006 the city proper had a population of 74,043...
's uptown. Barry also lobbied for compensation for those involved in the hepatitis C
Hepatitis C
Hepatitis C is an infectious disease primarily affecting the liver, caused by the hepatitis C virus . The infection is often asymptomatic, but chronic infection can lead to scarring of the liver and ultimately to cirrhosis, which is generally apparent after many years...
tainted blood scandal of the 1980s
Royal Commission of Inquiry on the Blood System in Canada
The Royal Commission of Inquiry on the Blood System in Canada, more commonly referred to as the Krever Commission or Krever Inquiry, was a Royal commission headed by Mr Justice Horace Krever established by the Canadian Government in October 1993...
.
Early Life and Family
Esmonde was born to Irish CanadianIrish Canadian
Irish Canadian are immigrants and descendants of immigrants who originated in Ireland. 1.2 million Irish immigrants arrived, 1825 to 1970, at least half of those in the period from 1831-1850. By 1867, they were the second largest ethnic group , and comprised 24% of Canada's population...
parents on 25 October 1923 in Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada. His father was P. Esmonde Barry, who served as Private Secretary to The Honourable William Pugsley, PC, QC
William Pugsley
William Pugsley, PC, QC was a politician and lawyer in New Brunswick, Canada.He was born in Sussex, New Brunswick, the son of William Pugsley, of United Empire Loyalist descent, and Frances Jane Hayward. He was educated at the University of New Brunswick. He studied mathematics, classics, and...
prior to being appointed Postmaster on the trains between Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
and Halifax
City of Halifax
Halifax is a city in Canada, which was the capital of the province of Nova Scotia and shire town of Halifax County. It was the largest city in Atlantic Canada until it was amalgamated into Halifax Regional Municipality in 1996...
. P. Esmonde was the son of James Barry, the son of an Irish immigrant from County Cork
County Cork
County Cork is a county in Ireland. It is located in the South-West Region and is also part of the province of Munster. It is named after the city of Cork . Cork County Council is the local authority for the county...
and first principal of St. Malachi's Boys' Grade School
St. Malachy's Memorial High School
St. Malachy's Memorial High School is a high school in Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada.-History:...
from 1879 to 1902 and federally-appointed District Inspector of Weights and Measures from 1902 until his death in 1923. Esmonde's mother was Eileen (née Horgan) Barry, whose grandparents were also natives of County Cork
County Cork
County Cork is a county in Ireland. It is located in the South-West Region and is also part of the province of Munster. It is named after the city of Cork . Cork County Council is the local authority for the county...
. He married H. Maureen (née Strang) Barry on 30 September 1950 at Melrose, NB, with whom he raised a family of 12 children: Brian, Katherine, Kevin, M. Jane, M. Ellen, Ronald, Eileen, P. Gregory, Denis, J. Joseph, Christopher, and Susan. Esmonde and Maureen were married nearly 57 years and, at the time of his death, their family had produced 30 grandchildren and 2 great-grandchildren.
Education and Career
After graduating from St. Vincent's Boys' SchoolSt. Malachy's Memorial High School
St. Malachy's Memorial High School is a high school in Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada.-History:...
in 1941, he received his Bachelor of Arts from the University of St. Joseph's College in Memramcook
Memramcook, New Brunswick
Memramcook is a Canadian village in Westmorland County, New Brunswick. Located in south-eastern New Brunswick, the community is predominantly people of Acadian descent who speak the Chiac derivative of the French language....
, NB in 1946. Esmonde was a Sales Representative, then Zone Manager for International Harvester Company
International Harvester
International Harvester Company was a United States agricultural machinery, construction equipment, vehicle, commercial truck, and household and commercial products manufacturer. In 1902, J.P...
between 1947 to 1956. In 1957, he received his Investment Dealer License from the University of New Brunswick Saint John and became a Registered Representative for Eastern Securities Ltd. in 1958. In 1964 he joined Richardson Securities, then began a 16-year tenure at Dominion Securities Corp.
RBC Dominion Securities
RBC Dominion Securities is the brand used by Royal Bank of Canada for full service brokerage services primarily in Canada. It forms part of RBC's Wealth Management division. Established in Toronto in 1901, it originally focused on government and municipal but diversified into war bonds during...
(later Dominion Securities Corp. Harris & Partners Ltd.) in 1970. Barry became Manager of the Saint John office in 1975 and held that position until his retirement in 1986.
Community Contributions
Barry was best known for his lifetime of community involvement, including his years spent as founding chairman and spokesperson of the Friends of St. Joseph's, a prominent healthcare advocacy group in the Province of New BrunswickNew Brunswick
New Brunswick is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the only province in the federation that is constitutionally bilingual . The provincial capital is Fredericton and Saint John is the most populous city. Greater Moncton is the largest Census Metropolitan Area...
. The Friends of St. Joseph's were widely credited with keeping St. Joseph's Hospital open in Saint John's city centre. He likened the quest he began in 1976 to save the facility to a real bare-knuckle fight. "A good fighter, after he's knocked down two or three times, he gets up," Barry once said. "That's what makes a champion. I think we're going to be champions before this is over." For thirty years, he was a strong advocate for improved health care in the Province of New Brunswick. The organisation was resurrected under Barry's leadership during New Brunswick's Liberal McKenna government, at the request of then Saint John Mayor Elsie Wayne
Elsie Wayne
Elsie Eleanore Wayne is a Canadian politician, and a former Progressive Conservative MP for Saint John.-Political career:In 1977, she was elected to the Saint John municipal council...
Elsie Wayne
Elsie Wayne
Elsie Eleanore Wayne is a Canadian politician, and a former Progressive Conservative MP for Saint John.-Political career:In 1977, she was elected to the Saint John municipal council...
. St. Joseph's Hospital remains open to this day in Saint John.
The healthcare activist is also widely credited for the decision taken by New Brunswick's Liberal Graham
Shawn Graham
Shawn Michael Graham, MLA is a New Brunswick politician, who served as the 31st Premier of New Brunswick. He received a Bachelor of Physical Education Degree in 1991 and a Bachelor of Education Degree in 1993, he worked for New Brunswick's civil service before being elected to the Legislative...
government and Health Minister Michael Murphy, to designate the Saint John Regional Hospital
Saint John Regional Hospital
Saint John Regional Hospital is a Canadian hospital in Saint John, New Brunswick.Saint John Regional Hospital is the largest tertiary care referral hospital in New Brunswick and specializes in cardiac and trauma care services....
as the Province's Trauma Centre. Among his final acts, Barry submitted an opinion editorial on the subject to his son, Telegraph-Journal
Telegraph-Journal
The Telegraph-Journal is a daily newspaper published in Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada. It publishes a hybrid newspaper, serving as a provincial daily while catering to the Saint John audience in its City and Sports sections. The newspaper is published by Brunswick News, owned by J. K. Irving...
Managing Editor Ronald Barry. In his submission ('Politics Must Take Back Seat in Trauma Centre Debate'), which was published four days after his passing, he wrote, "Common sense demands intelligent and reasoned vision of the future. Saint John is the largest industrial city in New Brunswick and no other municipality compares with it....[T]here is greater risk of serious injury and trauma than in any other area in the province." Barry called on local politicians and business leaders to serve their community as strong and vocal advocates for locating the Trauma Centre in Saint John. In the end, Barry's hope that healthcare would prevail over politics became a reality.
Esmonde gave 60 years of service to the Knights of Columbus
Knights of Columbus
The Knights of Columbus is the world's largest Catholic fraternal service organization. Founded in the United States in 1882, it is named in honor of Christopher Columbus....
, the world’s largest Catholic family fraternal service organisation, having joined in 1947. He has held the positions of Member, Recorder, Chancellor, Deputy Grand Knight, Grand Knight (1964–66), State Treasurer and State Deputy for the Province of New Brunswick
New Brunswick
New Brunswick is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the only province in the federation that is constitutionally bilingual . The provincial capital is Fredericton and Saint John is the most populous city. Greater Moncton is the largest Census Metropolitan Area...
. At the Supreme Office level he was Supreme Director of the Atlantic Provinces
Atlantic Canada
Atlantic Canada is the region of Canada comprising the four provinces located on the Atlantic coast, excluding Quebec: the three Maritime provinces – New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, and Nova Scotia – and Newfoundland and Labrador...
from 1971 to 1974 and Vice Supreme Master of the Fourth Degree for the Atlantic Provinces
Atlantic Canada
Atlantic Canada is the region of Canada comprising the four provinces located on the Atlantic coast, excluding Quebec: the three Maritime provinces – New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, and Nova Scotia – and Newfoundland and Labrador...
in 1979.
Barry also lobbied for compensation for those involved in the hepatitis C tainted blood scandal of the 1980s
Tainted blood scandal
The terms tainted blood scandal, contaminated blood scandal, or infected blood scandal may be a reference to:*Contaminated haemophilia blood products...
. He was himself infected by a blood transfusion during a triple bypass
Coronary artery bypass surgery
Coronary artery bypass surgery, also coronary artery bypass graft surgery, and colloquially heart bypass or bypass surgery is a surgical procedure performed to relieve angina and reduce the risk of death from coronary artery disease...
in Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
in 1986. Other organisations and boards Esmonde served on were the Protestant Orphanage Committee; Board Member and first President, Friends of Children's Aid Society; Director Saint John Board of Trustees for School District 20; Director, NB Social Service Council; Member of the Better Business Bureau
Better Business Bureau
The Better Business Bureau , founded in 1912, is a corporation consisting of several private business franchises of local BBB organizations based in the United States and Canada, which work through their parent corporation, the Council of Better Business Bureaus .The Better Business Bureau, through...
; Member of Central Business Development Corporation; Member of the Steering Committee of the Catholic Priests Pension Fund; Member of the Board of Governors of St. Thomas University
St. Thomas University (New Brunswick)
St. Thomas University is jointly a public and Roman Catholic liberal arts university located in Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada. It offers degrees exclusively at the undergraduate level for approximately 3,000 students in the liberal arts, humanities, journalism, education, and social work....
; Founding Member and Chairperson of the Friends of St. Joseph's Hospital; Founder of the Coalition for Seniors and Nursing Home Residents' Rights; Founding Member of the Hepatitis C Society, Saint John Chapter; and lastly a Member of the Friends of Healthcare. He received The Bishop William Dollard
William Dollard
William Dollard was a Canadian Roman Catholic priest and Bishop of Saint John in America, New Brunswick from 1842 to 1851.-External links:*...
Medal of Merit, Diocese of Saint John
Roman Catholic Diocese of Saint John, New Brunswick
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Saint John, New Brunswick is a suffragan of the Archdiocese of Moncton. It was renamed on 15 November 1924.-Ordinaries:*William Dollard...
, and the Knights of Columbus Pope Paul Medal of Merit.
Following his retirement he contributed with a weekly column in the Catholic New Freeman under the heading "Thoughts for Today" for a period of time. Periodically he was a commentator on 92.7 University of New Brunswick Saint John
University of New Brunswick
The University of New Brunswick is a Canadian university located in the province of New Brunswick. UNB is the oldest English language university in Canada and among the first public universities in North America. The university has two main campuses: the original campus founded in 1785 in...
(UNBSJ) Radio. He had written many guest commentaries in the Telegraph-Journal
Telegraph-Journal
The Telegraph-Journal is a daily newspaper published in Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada. It publishes a hybrid newspaper, serving as a provincial daily while catering to the Saint John audience in its City and Sports sections. The newspaper is published by Brunswick News, owned by J. K. Irving...
and several articles for the Canadian Messenger. He was the author of Escape from Romania, which was published by Gregory Kennedy in 1993. The book tells Gregory and Patricia Kennedy's story of their adoption of a Romanian girl named Milah.
Death
Esmonde Barry passed away on 31 July 2007 in his 84th year at the University of Ottawa Heart InstituteUniversity of Ottawa Heart Institute
The University of Ottawa Heart Institute is Canada’s largest and foremost cardiovascular health centre. It began as a department in The Ottawa Hospital, and since has evolved into Canada’s only complete cardiac centre, encompassing prevention, diagnosis, treatment, rehabilitation, research, and...
. His funeral mass was held at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception on 8 August 2007 where his body was led by the honour guard of the Knights of Columbus
Knights of Columbus
The Knights of Columbus is the world's largest Catholic fraternal service organization. Founded in the United States in 1882, it is named in honor of Christopher Columbus....
. The Cathedral filled with mourners for the funeral which was attended by 25 clergymen, including The Most Rev. Bishop Edward Troy
Roman Catholic Diocese of Saint John, New Brunswick
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Saint John, New Brunswick is a suffragan of the Archdiocese of Moncton. It was renamed on 15 November 1924.-Ordinaries:*William Dollard...
, Bishop Emeritus and The Most Rev. Bishop Faber MacDonald
Roman Catholic Diocese of Saint John, New Brunswick
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Saint John, New Brunswick is a suffragan of the Archdiocese of Moncton. It was renamed on 15 November 1924.-Ordinaries:*William Dollard...
, Bishop Emeritus, and celebrated by Barry's brother The Rev. Kevin M. Barry of St. Alphonsus Parish in Hampton
Hampton, New Brunswick
Hampton is a Canadian town in Kings County, New Brunswick.Located on the Kennebecasis River 30 kilometres northeast of Saint John, Hampton is the shire town of Kings County...
, NB. His body was laid to rest in the rain at St. Joseph's Cemetery in Saint John.
At the time of his passing, many community leaders paid tribute to Barry's contributions to the Province of New Brunswick. McKenna
Frank McKenna
Francis Joseph "Frank" McKenna, PC, OC, ONB, QC is a Canadian businessman and former politician and diplomat. He is currently Deputy Chairman of the Toronto-Dominion Bank. He served as Canadian Ambassador to the United States from 2005 to 2006...
-era New Brunswick Solicitor General Jane Barry
Jane Barry
Pamela Jane Barry is a chemist and former politician in New Brunswick. She represented Saint John West and then Saint John Lancaster in the Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick from 1987 to 1999 as a Liberal member.-Early years:...
noted that although she didn't always agree with his point of view, she always respected him. She added, "He certainly was very dedicated to the causes which he believed in, and yes, people like that are somewhat rare.”
In an editorial, the Telegraph-Journal
Telegraph-Journal
The Telegraph-Journal is a daily newspaper published in Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada. It publishes a hybrid newspaper, serving as a provincial daily while catering to the Saint John audience in its City and Sports sections. The newspaper is published by Brunswick News, owned by J. K. Irving...
(New Brunswick’s newspaper of record) noted that, “Barry...believed passionately in the need for proper healthcare in Saint John, and the continued operation of the uptown urgent care centre at St. Joseph’s Hospital. He pursued that goal with equal parts emotion and good sense.” The newspaper added that Barry was known for, “conviction, compassion, strength, courage and love of family....He knew that true politics is not about power and money. It's about doing the right thing.”
Barry's successor as spokesperson for the Friends of St. Joseph's Hospital, Saint John Mayor Ivan Court, noted in his newspaper submission that, “As a health care advocate, he was second-to-none in the Province of New Brunswick...Esmonde’s insight into the problems associated with the delivery of quality healthcare and the solutions for improvement were years ahead of both Hospital Board and Government actions to alleviate the stress on the system....[He] was instrumental in lobbying the government for the introduction of nurse practitioners; higher wages for nurses, doctors and health care workers; reductions in costs for patients in nursing homes; the need for two hospitals in Saint John; and in his final letter to the Telegraph-Journal, the recognition of the Regional Hospital as the Trauma Centre.”
Hatfield
Richard Hatfield
Richard Bennett Hatfield, PC, ONB was a New Brunswick politician and long time Premier of the province .- Early life :...
-era New Brunswick Cabinet minister Yvon Poitras
Yvon Poitras
Yvon Poitras is a Canadian businessman, politician and lobbyist. He served as the Minister of Municipal Affairs of New Brunswick for 3 years, as well as Treasury Board Chairman for two until 1985 under Premier Richard Hatfield. Poitras currently is General Manager of the New Brunswick Maple Syrup...
was quoted as saying, “He’s fought for humanitarian causes all his life. He did all of this with nothing in return. More than anything else, I respected him.” While, The Most Rev. Bishop Edward Troy
Roman Catholic Diocese of Saint John, New Brunswick
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Saint John, New Brunswick is a suffragan of the Archdiocese of Moncton. It was renamed on 15 November 1924.-Ordinaries:*William Dollard...
recalled his friend as a gifted man, a champion of faith and a great family man.
Legacy
The Esmonde Barry Healthcare Scholarship was established after Barry's death for students of the successor of his alma mater, St. Malachy's Memorial High SchoolSt. Malachy's Memorial High School
St. Malachy's Memorial High School is a high school in Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada.-History:...
, who are entering post-secondary studies in a healthcare field. The scholarship is valued at $1000 and is awarded to honours or high honours graduates who have participated in volunteer service to benefit others on an ongoing basis. Barry's daughter, Eileen Keating, presented the first two scholarships in 2008.
In recognition for his community contributions, Barry was posthumously awarded the New Brunswick Day Merit Award for Public Service by Saint John Mayor Ivan Court and Hon. Ed Doherty, M.D., Minister of Post-Secondary Education, Training and Labour
Department of Post-Secondary Education, Training and Labour (New Brunswick)
The Department of Post-Secondary Education, Training and Labour is a department in the Government of New Brunswick. It is charged with "ensuring the New Brunswick workforce is competitive by making strategic investments in people through innovative programs, services and partnerships." It has...
. It was accepted by his wife, Maureen Barry on 25 July 2008.
Maureen Barry also accepted an award posthumously presented to her husband at Saint John Common Council in recognition of his contributions in founding the Coalition for Seniors and Nursing Homes Residents' Rights. Coalition President Hector J. Cormier remarked, "(We pay) special tribute to the late Esmonde Barry for his determination to bring together individuals and groups for a common and most worthy cause."