ST. JOHN’S, N.L.—Former federal and provincial cabinet minister John Efford is being remembered as “true icon” of Newfoundland and Labrador politics. He died Sunday at the age of 77, prompting notes of remembrance and gratitude from politicians across the province, both current and retired. In a news release, Premier Andrew Furey said Efford “selflessly served his province and country” for two decades, and that he was glad to have called Efford a friend. “Without a doubt, John was one of Newfoundland and Labrador’s most recognizable and colourful figures, inside and outside the political arena,” Furey said. “Today, Newfoundland and Labrador has lost a true icon.” Efford was born in 1944 in the small fishing community of Port de Grave, which sits on the coast of Conception Bay, just west of St. John’s. He was first elected to the provincial legislature in 1985, and he held several cabinet positions throughout his …