On behalf of the people of Labrador, it is with sadness I mark the passing of Mr. Edward Hearn. Mr. Hearn was a name synonymous with Labrador’s legal community and he was well known and respected in Newfoundland and Labrador for the cases he championed.

I first met Mr. Hearn in the early 1990’s while he championed the fight against increased hydro rates for Labradorians. He was well known for his work in defending the ordinary person and their rights.

As a legal colleague and friend of Ed said, “He was certainly a good and decent person by every measure and made a significant contribution to Labrador and the court system and to the Province generally”. Ed was a true friend to Labrador, well read, educated and eager to help. He wasted no time in picking up the workload when needed. Just last year he helped me immensely in challenging rate increases for Labrador’s interconnected system and remote coastal Labrador. It was his research and understanding that allowed many of us to fight this important issue with successful results.

As noted by his family, Ed had a distinguished legal career representing the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador and the Labour Relations Board in a number of cases before the Supreme Court of Canada. Most notable of these appearances was the 1984 Upper Churchill Water Rights Reversion Act case. He made frequent appearances before the Public Utilities Board representing Labrador City and other towns in Labrador. He championed the use of Section 92A of the Canadian Constitution as a means to bring additional revenue from Churchill Falls to the Province. He chaired the 2041 Group raising awareness on the Muskrat Falls Project. He was as an expert in constitutional, administrative, aboriginal and labour law. He was a Master of the Supreme Court, Queen’s Counsel, a past president of the Law Society of Newfoundland and Labrador, and a long time member of the Board of NL Hydro, appointed by both Conservative and Liberal governments. His family noted; ” He was a true legal scholar and one of the most outstanding lawyers of his time.”

It was a pleasure to know and work with Ed; he was always a wealth of information, a tremendous conversationalist and never feared taking on the challenging work, as was evident in his challenge to section 92a of the Canadian Constitution.

Ed will be missed by the people of Labrador and especially Labrador West where he was an integral member of the community.

Today I offer my deepest sympathy to Ed’s wife, Grace Ann, his daughters Mikhaela and Natika and his family and many friends. On behalf of all Labradorians we send you our wishes for strength and peace as you celebrate the life of your loved one, Ed.

Yvonne Jones, MP
Labrador