• Bob Ridgely
  Parliamentary Assistant to the Premier
   
• Terry French
  Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Health and Community Services
   
• Harry Harding
  Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister Responsible for the Forestry and Agrifoods Agency
   
• Keith Hutchings
  Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Human Resources, Labour and Employment
   
• Darin King
  Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Education
   

Bob Ridgley    top
Member for St. John’s North

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   top
Member for Conception Bay South

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.

Harry Harding   top
Member for Bonavista North

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.

Keith Hutchings   top
Member for Ferryland

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.

Darin King   top
Member for Grand Bank

Dr. Darin King has served as the CEO/Director of Education for the Eastern School District. He has been responsible for the District's 121 schools and approximately 45,000 students.

Dr. King joined the newly created Eastern School District in 2004 as the Assistant Director of Education (Programs). Prior to this appointment, he spent four years as the Assistant Director of Education (Programs) and two years as the Associate Assistant Director (Human Resources) with the former Burin Peninsula School Board. Dr. King has also taught at all levels in the K-12 school system; five years as a school administrator.

Dr. King holds a Bachelor of Education degree and a Diploma in School Resources Services from Memorial University of Newfoundland; a Master of Education Degree from Saint Mary's University, Halifax; and a Ph.D from Northcentral University, Arizona.

Throughout his career, Dr. King has developed a number of research interests including performance appraisal of educational leaders, organizational change in an educational setting, school district restructuring, the effective delivery of student programming, school-community partnerships and school development. He has written numerous papers and articles, and shares his experiences and research widely. Currently, Dr. King serves as an external Ph.D candidate supervisor, and is a session lecturer at Memorial University of Newfoundland.