Don Downe
The Honourable Don Downe | |
---|---|
MLA for Lunenburg West | |
In office May 25, 1993 – February 18, 2003 | |
Preceded by | Marie Dechman |
Succeeded by | Carolyn Bolivar-Getson |
Minister of Finance | |
In office April 8, 1998 – August 16, 1999 | |
Preceded by | Bill Gillis |
Succeeded by | Neil LeBlanc |
Personal details | |
Born |
1951 Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island |
Political party | Liberal |
Residence | Wileville, Nova Scotia |
Donald Richard Downe (born 1951) is a farmer and political figure in Nova Scotia, Canada. He represented Lunenburg West in the Nova Scotia House of Assembly from 1993 to 2003 as a Liberal member.[1]
Early life
Downe was born in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island. He was a poultry farm owner and was president of the Nova Scotia Federation of Agriculture.
Political career
Provincial politics
In 1992, he ran for the leadership of the Nova Scotia Liberal Party,[2] losing on the second ballot to John Savage.[3][4]
In the 1993 election, Downe defeated Progressive Conservative cabinet minister Marie Dechman by almost 3,400 votes in Lunenburg West.[5][6] On June 11, 1993, Downe was appointed to the Executive Council of Nova Scotia as Minister of Natural Resources.[7] In March 1996, Downe was moved to Minister of Business and Consumer Services,[8][9] but was shuffled again in June 1996, when he was named Minister of Transportation and Public Works.[10] When Russell MacLellan was sworn-in as premier in July 1997, Downe remained as Minister of Transportation and Public Works.[11][12]
Downe was re-elected in the 1998 election.[13][14] On April 8, 1998, he was named Minister of Finance, Minister of Environment, Minister responsible for Aboriginal Affairs, and Deputy Premier.[15][16] In December 1998, the Environment portfolio was transferred to Michel Samson.[17] The Liberals lost government in the 1999 election, but Downe was re-elected by almost 1,000 votes in his riding.[18] Considered a possible leadership candidate following MacLellan's resignation as leader, Downe declined to enter the race.[4] On November 21, 2002, Downe announced that he would be not be running in the next provincial election,[19][20] and officially resigned as MLA on February 18, 2003.[21][22]
Municipal politics
In 2008, Downe returned to politics and was elected the first mayor of the Municipality of the District of Lunenburg.[23][24] He was re-elected in 2012.[25]
References
- ↑ "Electoral History for Lunenburg West" (PDF). Nova Scotia Legislative Library. Retrieved 2014-11-21.
- ↑ "Liberal race gets second entry". Toronto Star. April 9, 1992.
- ↑ "Liberals call up new leader". The Globe and Mail. June 22, 1992.
- 1 2 "Liberals search for leader". CBC News. May 23, 2001. Retrieved 2014-11-21.
- ↑ "Returns of General Election for the House of Assembly 1993" (PDF). Elections Nova Scotia. 1993. p. 126. Retrieved 2014-11-21.
- ↑ "Liberal sweep claims cabinet ministers". The Chronicle Herald. May 26, 1993. Archived from the original on August 30, 2000. Retrieved 2014-11-21.
- ↑ "Historic Liberal cabinet sworn in". The Chronicle Herald. June 12, 1993. Archived from the original on August 30, 2000. Retrieved 2014-11-21.
- ↑ "Premier announces cabinet realignment". Government of Nova Scotia. March 22, 1996. Retrieved 2014-11-21.
- ↑ "Downe climbs cabinet ladder as new department boss". The Chronicle Herald. March 23, 1996.
- ↑ "Premier shuffles cabinet". Government of Nova Scotia. June 27, 1996. Retrieved 2014-11-21.
- ↑ "Premier MacLellan, new cabinet sworn in". Government of Nova Scotia. July 18, 1997. Retrieved 2014-11-21.
- ↑ "MacLellan makeover". The Chronicle Herald. July 19, 1997. Archived from the original on February 4, 1998. Retrieved 2014-11-21.
- ↑ "Election Returns, 1998 (Lunenburg West)" (PDF). Elections Nova Scotia. Retrieved 2014-11-21.
- ↑ "Grit veterans swept away by 'orange tide'". The Chronicle Herald. March 25, 1998. Archived from the original on January 24, 2005. Retrieved 2014-11-21.
- ↑ "A cabinet with four legs". The Chronicle Herald. April 9, 1998. Archived from the original on January 23, 2005. Retrieved 2014-11-21.
- ↑ "Who's who in the new crew". The Chronicle Herald. April 9, 1998. Archived from the original on January 23, 2005. Retrieved 2014-11-21.
- ↑ "Premier MacLellan shuffles cabinet". Government of Nova Scotia. December 11, 1998. Retrieved 2014-11-21.
- ↑ "Election Returns, 1999 (Lunenburg West)" (PDF). Elections Nova Scotia. Retrieved 2014-11-21.
- ↑ "Downe and out in Lunenburg West". SouthShoreNow. November 27, 2002. Retrieved 2014-11-21.
- ↑ "Downe stepping down". November 22, 2002. Archived from the original on March 22, 2003. Retrieved 2014-11-21.
- ↑ "Don Downe resigns seat". SouthShoreNow. February 18, 2003. Retrieved 2014-11-21.
- ↑ "MLA Downe officially out of N.S. politics". February 19, 2003. Archived from the original on July 7, 2003. Retrieved 2014-11-21.
- ↑ "Former cabinet minister Don Downe chosen as county's first mayor". SouthshoreNow News. October 21, 2008. Archived from the original on November 24, 2011. Retrieved 2012-05-19.
- ↑ "Mayors elected around Nova Scotia". CBC News. October 19, 2008. Retrieved 2014-11-21.
- ↑ "Don Downe returned as mayor of Municipality of Lunenburg". SouthShoreNow. October 24, 2012. Retrieved 2014-11-21.