‘It’s a big loss for Labrador’
Happy Valley-goose Bay Mayor John Hickey dies from injuries following hunting accident
Happy Valley-goose Bay Mayor John Hickey died Friday, succumbing to injuries he received during a hunting accident last weekend.
Hickey had taken a shotgun into the woods last Saturday near Happy Valley-goose Bay to check rabbit snares. He suffered a gunshot wound to the face. Hickey managed to get on a snowmobile and reached a nearby highway to flag down help. He was airlifted to St. John’s on Sunday for surgery.
News of his death reverberated around Newfoundland and Labrador as tributes flowed about the veteran municipal politician, former provincial MHA and cabinet minister.
Perry Trimper, MHA for Lake Melville, was in the hospital in Happy Valley-goose Bay with Hickey the night of his accident.
“The flags are all at half-mast here as I drive around. What a huge loss,” Trimper told The Labradorian in an interview. “After what he went through Saturday night, with the close calls and overcoming everything we were hoping, we were all hoping, that it was all behind him. But he was battling ever since and, unfortunately, lost.”
Trimper said he had known Hickey for 30 years and had great respect for him. He said the community can reflect upon the strength of will it took for Hickey to get himself to help after he was accidentally shot in the face.
“We can appreciate that inner spirit and will,” he said. “It’s a big loss for Labrador.”
Wally Andersen served with Hickey on council in Happy Valley-goose Bay in the 1990s and with him in the House of Assembly (on different sides) before working together again on the current town council. Andersen, now the acting mayor, said what he remembers most about Hickey is that he was a strong advocate for Labrador, a fighter and a man who cared.
“John could be loud, he could be stern, but underneath all that was a man with a soft heart,” Andersen said. “Maybe not a lot of people got to know John well enough to know that he had a very soft heart. I got to know him over the years and that’s one thing that I can tell people. He was a leader for Labrador. It’s a tremendous loss to our society and the whole province.”
Andersen said it always seemed Hickey was in politics to help others, not for the limelight. He said even though he and Hickey fought and argued over the years, he would give anything to do it all over again.
Labrador MP Yvonne Jones also spoke regarding Hickey’s death, calling him “a true champion for Happy Valley-goose Bay, a loyal and proud Labradorian who fought hard on many fronts for the people of Labrador.”
Jones said she enjoyed working with Hickey and was excited to have him back on council.
“John had a great vision for getting work done. He never focused on obstacles, only solutions, and that’s what I admired and loved about working with him. It was always about getting the job done.”
She offered her condolences to the family and said Labrador mourns with them.
Eugene Hart, chief of Sheshatshiu Innu First Nation, agreed that Labrador mourns Hickey.
Hart said Labrador has lost one of its favourite sons and one of its greatest fighters, and that Hickey did a lot of work for the people of Labrador in both his role as the mayor of one of its largest towns, and during his time in provincial politics.
“The people of my community of Sheshatshiu had a lot of respect for John, as he did his best to represent our interests, and went out of his way to advocate for our culture.”
Hart said there is probably no one who can truly fill Hickey’s shoes, and he had been looking forward to working with him to bring all the communities of Lake Melville together.
“I know we are all filled with sorrow today, but I think we should take inspiration from John and continue the fight for Labrador that he started.”
While in provincial politics, Hickey served under two premiers — Danny Williams and Kathy Dunderdale.
The Labradorian spoke to Dunderdale shortly after the news broke, and she said she had been thinking about Hickey, hoping he would pull through. She echoed sentiments that Hickey was in politics for the right reasons.
“You couldn’t think about John Hickey and not think about Labrador,” she said. “It wasn’t just his home, it was his passion. He lived it, he breathed it. I wasn’t surprised when he became a municipal politician again, once he stepped away from provincial politics. It was just who he was. I never got the sense he was driven by politics, generally — he was driven by Labrador.”
Dunderdale said that when he was in cabinet, they would sometimes joke about how it didn’t matter what the conversation was, it didn’t matter what the topic was, if Hickey was in the room there was going to be part of that conversation particular to Labrador.
Williams issued a statement following the news, saying he will always remember John as a true advocate for others, and he was honoured to have worked alongside him in public life.
“Rarely have I met an individual so dedicated and passionate in representing the people he served,” Williams said. “Labradorians will probably never fully know the enormous contribution that he made on their behalf. He was not only a colleague, but also a good friend. He was hard-working, loyal and kind-hearted. He will be greatly missed and I wish his family my deepest condolences during this difficult time.”
Premier Dwight Ball added his thoughts in a statement Friday afternoon.
“John was known as a fighter in politics. His determination, drive and political savvy at both the municipal and provincial level served the residents of Happy Valley-goose Bay and all of Labrador well during his tenure in public life,” Ball said. “John was well known for his straightforward approach on tough issues, and he never backed away from a challenge. I enjoyed my conversation with John just after his election this fall and his excitement for the future of the community was contagious.”