Don Downe

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]

The Honourable

Don Downe
MLA for Lunenburg West
In office
May 25, 1993 – February 18, 2003
Preceded byMarie Dechman
Succeeded byCarolyn Bolivar-Getson
Minister of Finance
In office
April 8, 1998 – August 16, 1999
Preceded byBill Gillis
Succeeded byNeil LeBlanc
Personal details
Born1951
Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island
Political partyLiberal
ResidenceWileville, Nova Scotia

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] Downe did not for re-election in the 2016 municipal election.[26]

References
  1. "Electoral History for Lunenburg West" (PDF). Nova Scotia Legislative Library. Retrieved 2018-04-23.
  2. "Liberal race gets second entry". Toronto Star. April 9, 1992.
  3. "Liberals call up new leader". The Globe and Mail. June 22, 1992.
  4. "Liberals search for leader". CBC News. May 23, 2001. Retrieved 2018-04-23.
  5. "Returns of General Election for the House of Assembly 1993" (PDF). Elections Nova Scotia. 1993. p. 126. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2014-10-06. Retrieved 2014-11-21.
  6. "Liberal sweep claims cabinet ministers". The Chronicle Herald. May 26, 1993. Archived from the original on August 30, 2000. Retrieved 2014-11-21.
  7. "Historic Liberal cabinet sworn in". The Chronicle Herald. June 12, 1993. Archived from the original on August 30, 2000. Retrieved 2014-11-21.
  8. "Premier announces cabinet realignment". Government of Nova Scotia. March 22, 1996. Retrieved 2014-11-21.
  9. "Downe climbs cabinet ladder as new department boss". The Chronicle Herald. March 23, 1996.
  10. "Premier shuffles cabinet". Government of Nova Scotia. June 27, 1996. Retrieved 2014-11-21.
  11. "Premier MacLellan, new cabinet sworn in". Government of Nova Scotia. July 18, 1997. Retrieved 2014-11-21.
  12. "MacLellan makeover". The Chronicle Herald. July 19, 1997. Archived from the original on February 4, 1998. Retrieved 2014-11-21.
  13. "Election Returns, 1998 (Lunenburg West)" (PDF). Elections Nova Scotia. Retrieved 2014-11-21.
  14. "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.
  15. "A cabinet with four legs". The Chronicle Herald. April 9, 1998. Archived from the original on January 23, 2005. Retrieved 2014-11-21.
  16. "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.
  17. "Premier MacLellan shuffles cabinet". Government of Nova Scotia. December 11, 1998. Retrieved 2014-11-21.
  18. "Election Returns, 1999 (Lunenburg West)" (PDF). Elections Nova Scotia. Retrieved 2014-11-21.
  19. "Downe and out in Lunenburg West". SouthShoreNow. November 27, 2002. Archived from the original on November 21, 2014. Retrieved 2014-11-21.
  20. "Downe stepping down". November 22, 2002. Archived from the original on March 22, 2003. Retrieved 2014-11-21.
  21. "Don Downe resigns seat". SouthShoreNow. February 18, 2003. Archived from the original on November 21, 2014. Retrieved 2014-11-21.
  22. "MLA Downe officially out of N.S. politics". February 19, 2003. Archived from the original on July 7, 2003. Retrieved 2014-11-21.
  23. "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.
  24. "Mayors elected around Nova Scotia". CBC News. October 19, 2008. Retrieved 2014-11-21.
  25. "Don Downe returned as mayor of Municipality of Lunenburg". SouthShoreNow. October 24, 2012. Archived from the original on November 21, 2014. Retrieved 2014-11-21.
  26. "Downe steps away from politics as Lunenburg district races shape up". The Chronicle Herald. September 16, 2016. Archived from the original on December 27, 2016. Retrieved 2016-12-27.
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