Fisheries Minister Roméo LeBlanc
confers with PM Trudeau, 1974.

Fisheries and Environment Minister
Roméo LeBlanc presented to
Elizabeth II and Prince Philip at
Rideau Hall during the Queen's Jubilee
tour of Canada, 1977.

In 1971, he returned to New Brunswick, serving as Assistant to the President and Director of Public Relations for the University of Moncton.  Then in 1972, he took his first step into the political arena; he was elected as Member of Parliament for Westmorland-Kent, N.B. Roméo was re-elected in 1974, 1979, and 1980, representing the riding until 1984.

Under various titles, he served as Minister of Fisheries in three of Prime Minister Trudeau's Cabinets, becoming Canada's longest serving minister in this position. It was under his watch that Canada's coastal fishing zone was extended from 12 to 200 miles (19.3 km to 321.8 km). He was also responsible for the strong role that Canada played in the Law of the Sea conferences from 1974-1979.  From 1974-1982, he was a member of the Cabinet Committee for External Affairs and Economic Affairs; from 1974-1984 a member of the Communications Committee and its chairman from 1976-1981; from 1975-1984 he was a member of the Priorities and Planning Committee.  In 1982, he was appointed Minister of Public Works and the Minister responsible for the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation and the National Capital Commission.