Steve Neary

Stephen Aloysius Neary (June 21, 1925 – June 7, 1996) was a Newfoundlander and Canadian politician and cabinet minister who served as the provincial Leader of the Official Opposition.

Early life

Neary was born in Bell Island on June 21, 1925. He worked at the Argentia Naval Base until 1945 before returning home and moving onto a job at the Dominion Steel Company. While working there, he helped unionize the office employees before serving on the municipal council.

Politics

He was active with the Newfoundland Federation of Labour serving as its secretary-treasurer and ran for office as a candidate for the Newfoundland Democratic Party and also served as interim party leader from 1983 to 1984. He retired from provincial politics in 1985. He attempted to win a seat in the House of Commons of Canada in a St. John's East federal by-election in 1987 but was defeated.

Later life

After his retirement, Neary wrote a book about the German U-boat attack on Bell Island in the second World War, called Enemy on our Doorstep. He also devoted a great deal of time to Bell Island and was instrumental in raising monuments, and to creating a museum. He died at his home in St. John's on June 7, 1996.