34 Facts About Darin King

Darin King was born on 17 August 1966 and is a former Canadian politician in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada.

Darin King served as the Minister of Business, Tourism, Culture and Rural Development as well as the Minister of Justice and Public Safety in the provincial cabinet, and was the Member of the House of Assembly for the district of Grand Bank.

Darin King previously held the posts of Minister of Education, Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture and Minister of Human Resources, Labour and Employment.

Darin King was born in Grand Bank, Newfoundland and Labrador and raised in the community of Fortune on Newfoundland's Burin Peninsula.

Darin King attended Memorial University of Newfoundland where he was awarded a Bachelor of Education degree and a diploma in School Resources Services.

Darin King went on to study at Saint Mary's University in Halifax, Nova Scotia where he earned a Master of Education degree.

Darin 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.

Darin King taught at all levels in the K-12 school system and went on to work for five years as a school administrator.

Darin King 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.

In May 2003, Darin King defeated Gordon Dunphy to win the Progressive Conservative Party nomination in the district of Grand Bank for that year's provincial election.

The Progressive Conservatives won the October 2003, election but Darin King was narrowly defeated by the Liberal Party incumbent, Judy Foote, by a margin of 43 votes.

In 2007, Darin King was acclaimed as the PC candidate in Grand Bank and was granted special leave by the Eastern School District until that October's election.

Foote did not seek re-election in 2007, and Darin King won 80 per cent of the vote in the provincial election.

Darin King served on the House of Assembly Social Services and Public Accounts Committees.

On 9 April 2009, Darin King was sworn in as Minister of Education, succeeding Joan Burke.

Darin King faced criticism from the deaf and hard of hearing communities in the Summer of 2010, when he announced that the Newfoundland School for the Deaf would not be reopening in September.

Darin King was appointed the Minister of Human, Resources, Labour and Employment.

Darin King was minister responsible for Persons with Disabilities, the Labour Relations Agency, Youth Engagement and the NL Housing Corporation.

Darin King was re-elected in October 2011, and was appointed as the Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture.

Darin King reacted positively to the proposed idea and said the government would consider it.

Negotiations on a deal would become tense, Darin King criticized the company for using 'pressure tactics' to try to get a deal.

In February 2012, Darin King rejected a proposal by the company saying that it was not in the best interest of the province.

Darin King was shuffled out of the Fisheries portfolio and replaced by Derrick Dalley before a decision was reached.

In February 2012, Darin King announced that effective immediately he would be freezing funding to the FFAW.

Darin King cited the union's criticism of the provincial government as the reason for the move.

Darin King stated 'No matter what we do in this province, the FFAW are more concerned with their own self-interest than they are with the interests of the industry.

On 19 October 2012, Darin King was sworn in as the Minister of Justice, Government House Leader, and Minister Responsible for the Labour Relations Agency.

However, ten days after the budget was released Darin King announced he had established a committee to review the cuts within his department.

The committee met for just one day before Darin King announced he would be reversing many of the budget cuts.

Darin King has been seen as possible leadership candidate for the Progressive Conservatives since entering politics and following the resignation of Premier Danny Williams in December 2010 he stated that he may run to succeed him.

On 22 December 2010, Darin 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.

Darin King did not run for re-election in the 2015 provincial election.

Darin King subsequently served as Executive Director for the Newfoundland and Labrador Building and Construction Trades Council from 2015 to 2024.

Darin King dropped out of the nomination race before it was called.