Manning MacDonald | |
---|---|
MLA for Cape Breton South | |
In office May 25, 1993 – May 29, 2013 | |
Preceded by | Vince MacLean |
Succeeded by | riding dissolved |
Personal details | |
Born | Sydney, Nova Scotia | September 18, 1942
Political party | Liberal |
Residence | Sydney, Nova Scotia |
Occupation | Municipal Politician |
Manning MacDonald CD, ECNS (born September 18, 1942) is a Canadian politician. He represented the electoral district of Cape Breton South in the Nova Scotia House of Assembly from May 25, 1993 to May 29, 2013. He is a member of the Liberals.
MacDonald attended school at St. Francis Xavier College, the University College of Cape Breton and Dalhousie University. [1]
MacDonald served as mayor of Sydney, Nova Scotia from 1978 to 1993. [2] He entered provincial politics in the 1993 election, defeating Peter Mancini and Norm Ferguson to win the Cape Breton South riding. [3] MacDonald served as a backbench member of John Savage's government until June 27, 1996, when he was appointed to the Executive Council of Nova Scotia as Minister of Labour. [4]
When Russell MacLellan was sworn-in as premier in July 1997, MacDonald was named Minister of Economic Development and Tourism. [5] In 1997, he also took over as the Liberal House Leader, a position he held until January 2012. [6] In the 1998 election, MacDonald was re-elected by over 2,600 votes. [7] [8] Following the election, MacDonald remained at Economic Development and Tourism, but was given six other portfolios in the minority government, including the Priorities and Planning Secretariat, and responsibility for Sysco. [9] In December 1998, he was given an additional role in cabinet, Minister responsible for the Petroleum Directorate. [10]
The Liberals lost government in the 1999 election, but MacDonald was again re-elected in his riding by over 2,000 votes. [11] Moving to the opposition side for the first time in his career, MacDonald was re-elected in the 2003, [12] 2006, [13] and 2009 elections. [14] [15]
On January 6, 2012, MacDonald announced he would be retiring from politics prior to the next provincial election. [2] [16] In May 2013, MacDonald came under scrutiny for taking a four-week holiday during the spring session of the Nova Scotia Legislature. [17] He resigned his seat on May 29, 2013, one day before a scheduled vote of the legislature on whether to dock his pay for the time he was absent. [18] [19]