Ernest Richard

Infobox_Person
name = Ernest Richard


imagesize =
caption =
birth_date = birth date|1922|5|1
birth_place = Shippagan, New Brunswick
Canada flagicon|Canada
death_date = death date and age|2006|9|25|1922|5|1|mf=y
death_place = Shippagan, New Brunswick
Canada flagicon|Canada
resting_place = St. Jerome Parish Roman Catholic Cemetery
residence = Shippagan, New Brunswick
education =
occupation = Businessman, politician
party = Liberal
boards = Hotel-Dieu, Tracadie, NB
Advisory Committee, Collège Jésus-Marie, Shippagan
spouse = Flora Thériault
children = 3 daughters
parents = Edmond Richard &
Marie-Anne Paquette
religion = Roman Catholic

Rhéal Ernest Richard May 1, 1922 - September 25, 2006 was a Canadian businessman and politician in the Province of New Brunswick.

Known by his middle name, Ernest Richard was born and raised in Shippagan, New Brunswick. He was involved in the east-coast fishing industry for many years. He was Director General of Shippagan Cold Storage Ltd. and after that company became a subsidiary of Connors Brothers Limited of Blacks Harbour, New Brunswick, he served on the Connors Board of Directors until retiring in 1985.

From 1948 to 1957, Ernest Richard served as a Shippagan town councillor and as Mayor from March of 1957 to October of 1960. In 1948, Richard also entered provincial politics and was elected by acclamation to the Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick as the Liberal Party member for Gloucester County. He was reelected in 1952, 1956, 1960, 1963, and again in 1967.

In 1960 he was made Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick, serving until 1963 when Premier Louis Robichaud appointed him to his Cabinet as the Province's first ever Minister of Fisheries. Richard remained Minister of Fisheries until his retirement from politics in 1970.

Ernest Richard was involved in a number of community projects and received the Medal of Merit in 1975 for his many years of service to the Canadian Red Cross. In May of 1990, the University of Moncton bestowed an honourary Doctorate in fisheries management.

References

* "Canadian Parliamentary Guide, 1963", PG Normandin
* [http://www.umoncton.ca/etudeacadiennes/centre/archivescum/pers/richard-rheal-ernest.htm Docteur en gestion des pêches, honoris causa, University of Moncton] {French)