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{{Short description|Canadian politician}}
{{Use Canadian English|date=September 2021}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2021}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| honorific-prefix = [[The Honourable]]
| name = Gerald Merrithew
| honorific_suffix = {{post-nominals|country=CAN|PC|CD|size=100%}}
| image =
| caption =
| office = [[Minister of Veterans Affairs (Canada)|Minister of Veterans Affairs]]
| term_start = 15 September 1988
| term_end = 4 January 1993
| primeminister = [[Brian Mulroney]]
| predecessor = [[George Hees]]
| successor = [[Kim Campbell]]
| office1 = [[Minister of state (Canada)|Minister of State (Forestry and Mines)]]
| minister1 = [[Marcel Masse]]
| term_start1 = 30 June 1986
| term_end1 = 14 September 1988
| primeminister1 = [[Brian Mulroney]]
| predecessor1 = ''Himself'' {{small|(as [[Minister of state (Canada)|Minister of State (Forestry)]])}}<br />[[Robert Layton (politician)|Robert Layton]] {{small|(as [[Minister of State (Canada)|Minister of State (Mines)]])}}
| successor1 = [[Gerry St. Germain]]
| office2 = [[Minister of state (Canada)|Minister of State (Forestry)]]
| minister2 = [[John Wise (Canadian politician)|John Wise]]
| term_start2 = 17 September 1984
| term_end2 = 29 June 1986
| primeminister2 = [[Brian Mulroney]]
| predecessor2 = ''Position established''
| successor2 = ''Himself'' {{small|(as [[Minister of state (Canada)|Minister of State (Forestry and Mines)]])}}
{{Collapsed infobox section begin |last=yes |[[Executive Council of New Brunswick|New Brunswick Executive Council]]
|titlestyle=border:1px dashed lightgrey;}}{{Infobox officeholder |embed=yes
| office5 = [[Department of Energy and Resource Development (New Brunswick)|Minister of Natural Resources]]<br />[[Government House Leader (New Brunswick)|Government House Leader]]
| premier5 = [[Richard Hatfield]]
| term_start5 = 30 October 1982
| term_end5 = 3 August 1984
| predecessor5 = [[Edwin G. Allen]]
| successor5 = [[Malcolm MacLeod (politician)|Malcolm MacLeod]]
| office6 = [[Department of Economic Development (New Brunswick)|Minister of Commerce and Development]]
| premier6 = [[Richard Hatfield]]
| term_start6 = 20 December 1976
| term_end6 = 30 October 1982
| predecessor6 = [[Lawrence Garvie]] {{small|(Economic Growth)}}
| successor6 = [[Paul Dawson (politician)|Paul Dawson]]
| office7 = [[Department of Education and Early Childhood Development (New Brunswick)|Minister of Education]]
| premier7 = [[Richard Hatfield]]
| term_start7 = 3 December 1974
| term_end7 = 20 December 1976
| predecessor7 = [[J. Lorne McGuigan]]
| successor7 = [[Charles Gallagher (New Brunswick politician)|Charles Gallagher]]{{Collapsed infobox section end}}}}
{{Collapsed infobox section begin |last=yes |Parliamentary constituencies
|titlestyle=border:1px dashed lightgrey;}}{{Infobox officeholder |embed=yes
| parliament12 = Canadian
| riding12 = [[Saint John (electoral district)|Saint John]]
| term_start12 = 4 September 1984
| term_end12 = 25 October 1993
| predecessor12 = [[Mike Landers (politician)|Mike Landers]]
| successor12 = [[Elsie Wayne]]
| assembly13 = New Brunswick Legislative
| constituency_AM13 = [[East Saint John]]<br />{{small|([[Saint John East (1967–1974 electoral district)|Saint John East]]; 1972–1974)}}
| term_start13 = 11 December 1972
| term_end13 = July 1984
| predecessor13 = ''Multi-member district''
| successor13 = [[Peter Trites]]{{Collapsed infobox section end}}}}
| birth_name = Gerald Stairs Merrithew
| birth_date = {{birth date|df=yes| 1931|09|23}}
| birth_place = [[Saint John, New Brunswick]], Canada
| death_date = {{death date and age|df=yes|2004|09|05|1931|09|23}}
| death_place =
| profession = Secondary school Principal
| party = [[Progressive Conservative Party of Canada|Progressive Conservative]]
| residence = [[Springfield, Kings County, New Brunswick|Springfield, New Brunswick]]
| spouse = Gloria McLean
}}

'''Gerald Stairs''' "'''Gerry'''" '''Merrithew''' {{post-nominals|country=CAN|PC|CD}} (23 September 1931 – 5 September 2004), born in [[Saint John, New Brunswick]], Canada, was an educator, provincial and federal politician, and statesman.

Merrithew graduated from the New Brunswick Teachers' College, then obtained his [[Bachelor of Arts|BA]] and [[Bachelor of Education|B.Ed]] degrees from the [[University of New Brunswick]].

With a lifelong interest in the [[Canadian Forces]], he became an officer cadet and rose to the rank of [[lieutenant-colonel]]. As a [[Principal (school)|high school principal]], he was active not only in the educational field, but the military, recreational fields, as well as cultural affairs that led to his entering politics.

==Provincial politics==
First elected to the [[Saint John City Council]] in 1971 he went into provincial politics in 1972, winning a by-election for the [[Progressive Conservative Party of New Brunswick|Provincial Progressive Conservative Party]]. Re-elected to the [[Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick|Legislative Assembly]] in 1974, he would be appointed to the Cabinet as [[Department of Education (New Brunswick)|Minister of Education]] then in 1976, [[Business New Brunswick|Minister of Commerce & Development]]. After winning re-election again in 1978 and in 1982, he became the [[Department of Natural Resources (New Brunswick)|Minister of Natural Resources]],
[[Government House Leader (New Brunswick)|Government House Leader]], and [[Premier of New Brunswick|Deputy Premier]].

==Federal politics==
Gerald Merrithew resigned his provincial seat to run as a [[Progressive Conservative Party of Canada]] candidate for the [[Saint John (electoral district)|Saint John riding]] in the [[1984 Canadian federal election]]. Elected to the [[House of Commons of Canada]] in [[Ottawa]], and with his party winning the election, Merrithew was immediately appointed [[Minister of state (Canada)|Minister of State]] for Forestry then in 1986 to Forestry & Mines. After winning his seventh consecutive election in 1988, he was appointed Minister for the purpose of the [[Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency]] and [[Minister of Veterans Affairs (Canada)|Minister of Veterans Affairs]].{{fact|date=February 2023}}

==Retirement==
In 1993, Merrithew resigned from Cabinet and did not seek re-election. He and his wife retired to their farm in [[Springfield, Kings County, New Brunswick|Springfield, New Brunswick]] at the head of the [[Belleisle Bay]].{{fact|date=February 2023}}

Active with numerous Military and Veterans Associations, Merrithew was a member of the [[Queen's Privy Council for Canada]] and also held several directorships including the "26th Battalion Overseas Association Inc." where in 1995 he was instrumental in publishing the history of the Battalion by S. Douglas MacGowan ({{ISBN|1896270026}}).

==Death==
Gerald Merrithew died of cancer on 5 September 2004, aged 72.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/former-n-b-cabinet-minister-dies-of-cancer-1.505248|title=Former N.B. cabinet minister dies of cancer|publisher=CBC News|date=September 6, 2004|access-date=June 7, 2024}}</ref>

== Electoral history ==
{{1988 Canadian federal election/Saint John—Rothesay}}
{{1984 Canadian federal election/Saint John—Rothesay}}
==References==
{{Reflist}}
* [https://sencanada.ca/en/Content/Sen/chamber/381/debates/016db_2004-11-18-e Hansard, 1st Session, 38th Parliament, Volume 142, Issue 16]
* {{Canadian Parliament links|ID=6044}}
* [http://www.gnb.ca/legis/publications/leg-act2004e.pdf Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick tribute to Gerald Merrithew]

{{s-start}}
{{Canadian federal ministry navigational box header |ministry=24}}
{{ministry box cabinet posts
| post3preceded = [[George Hees]]
| post3 = [[Minister of Veterans Affairs (Canada)|Minister of Veterans Affairs]]
| post3years = 1988–1993
| post3note =
| post3followed = [[Kim Campbell]]
| post2preceded = himself
| post2 = [[Minister of State (Canada)|Minister of State for Forestry & Mines]]
| post2years = 1986–1988
| post2note = Mines was part of the Ministry of Energy, Mines and Resources
| post2followed = [[Marcel Masse]]
| post1preceded = [[John Wise (Canadian politician)|John Wise]]
| post1 = [[Minister of State (Canada)|Minister of State for Forestry]]
| post1note = Part of the Ministry of Agriculture
| post1years = 1984–1986
| post1followed = Himself
}}
{{Canadian cabinet member navigational box header |ministry=Richard_Hatfield}}
{{ministry box cabinet posts
| post3= [[Department of Natural Resources (New Brunswick)|Minister of Natural Resources]]
| post3years = 1982–1984
| post3note =
| post3preceded = [[Edwin G. Allen]]
| post3followed = [[Malcolm MacLeod (politician)|Malcolm MacLeod]]
| post2= [[Business New Brunswick|Minister of Commerce & Development]]
| post2years = 1976–1982
| post2note =
| post2preceded = [[Lawrence Garvie]]
| post2followed = [[Paul Dawson (politician)|Paul Dawson]]
| post1= [[Department of Education (New Brunswick)|Minister of Education]]
| post1years = 1974–1976
| post1note =
| post1preceded = [[Lorne McGuigan]]
| post1followed = [[Charles Gallagher (New Brunswick politician)|Charles Gallagher]]
}}

{{ministry box special cabinet
| post2 = [[Premier of New Brunswick|Deputy Premier]]
| post2years = 1982–1984
| post2note =
| post2preceded =
| post2followed =
| post1 = [[Government House Leader (New Brunswick)|Government House Leader]]
| post1years = 1982–1984
| post1note =
| post1preceded =
| post1followed =
}}
{{s-end}}

{{Mulroney Ministry}}
{{CA-Ministers for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency}}
{{CA-Ministers of Veterans Affairs}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Merrithew, Gerald}}
[[Category:1931 births]]
[[Category:2004 deaths]]
[[Category:Deaths from cancer in New Brunswick]]
[[Category:Members of the Executive Council of New Brunswick]]
[[Category:Members of the House of Commons of Canada from New Brunswick]]
[[Category:Members of the King's Privy Council for Canada]]
[[Category:Progressive Conservative Party of Canada MPs]]
[[Category:Progressive Conservative Party of New Brunswick MLAs]]
[[Category:Saint John, New Brunswick city councillors]]
[[Category:Heads of schools in Canada]]
[[Category:University of New Brunswick alumni]]
[[Category:Members of the 24th Canadian Ministry]]
[[Category:20th-century members of the House of Commons of Canada]]
[[Category:20th-century members of the Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick]]
[[Category:Minister of veterans affairs of Canada]]

Gerald Merrithew - Revision history

imported>Maxeto0910 at 10:09, 17 October 2025