Darlene has always been a champion for her community. As the MLA for Belfast-Murray River since 2015, she helped rally her community to fight local school closures, protect local fishing grounds in the Northumberland Strait, and pushed for a new Wood Islands ferry.
Darlene is the first female to serve as Deputy Premier, and she’s the first female Agriculture Minister in Island history. As Minister of Finance, she helped make the tax system fairer for workers, small businesses, charities and seniors. As Minister of Justice and Public Safety, she helped the province recover after the devastating effects of Hurricane Fiona.
Darlene and her husband Russell live on the Ponds Road and are proud parents and grandparents. Darlene was elected Speaker of the Legislative Assembly in 2023.