Mr. Hedderson graduated with Bachelor
of Arts (Psychology) and Bachelor of Education
(English) degrees from Memorial University of
Newfoundland and a Master of Education (Psychology)
from Mount Saint Vincent University in Nova Scotia.
He served as principal of Bishop O’Neill Collegiate
in Brigus.
First elected to the House of
Assembly on February 9, 1999 to represent the
District of Harbour Main Whitbourne, he has served
as Opposition Critic for Education (K 12),
Parliamentary Assistant to the Leader of the
Opposition and as Critic for Youth Services and Post
Secondary Education. Re-elected for a second term on
October 21, 2003, he was appointed Parliamentary
Secretary to the Minister of Education and Youth
Services & Post Secondary Education. The
department's name later changed to Education in the
departmental restructuring on February 20, 2004. Mr.
Hedderson was appointed Minister of Education
October 1, 2004. Mr. Hedderson was appointed
Minister of Tourism, Culture and Recreation on
November 8, 2005.
Born on May 7, 1954 as the
youngest son of Bernard and Josephine (nee Philpott).
Tom is the youngest of 19 -- a family of nine
brothers and ten sisters. He married Rosemary,
daughter of the late Richard and Nora Conway of
Marysvale. As proud parents of Christa Marie and
Julia Anne, the family resides in the community of
Georgetown.
