A former Speaker of the House of Assembly has died. Harvey Hodder was 77.

Hodder was born in 1943 in Creston South on the Burin Peninsula.

He served as the Progressive Conservative MHA for the district of Waterford Valley, now Mount Pearl North, from 1993 to 2007, and was Speaker of the House from 2003-2007.

Hodder is a graduate of MUN and also served four terms as the mayor of Mount Pearl and 12 years on the St. John’s Metropolitan Area Board.

Members of the House of Assembly rose today to pay tribute to Hodder, and hold a moment of silence.

Danny Williams, who served as Premier from 2003 to 2010, has released a statement on Hodder’s passing:

Harvey was the kind of politician that everyone around him aspired to be; serving the province with commitment and compassion. And though he was typically the calm voice of reason, he also loved to make you laugh with one of his signature stories. Harvey was a true gentleman, whose legacy will live on and I am honoured to have called him a friend. I wish all of his loved ones my heartfelt condolences during this time. Rest in peace Mr. Speaker. -Danny Williams