Rodney MacDonald

The Honourable Rodney Joseph MacDonald MLA BSc
33rd Premier of Nova Scotia
Incumbent
Assumed office February 22, 2006
Lieutenant Governor	Myra Freeman, Mayann E. Francis
Preceded by	John Hamm
Personal details
Born	(1972-01-02) January 2, 1972 Mabou, Nova Scotia
Political party	Progressive Conservative
Spouse	Lori-Ann MacDonald

Rodney Joseph MacDonald, MLA (born January 2, 1972) is a politician and educator and the current Premier of Nova Scotia, Canada.

Background

MacDonald is a graduate of St. Francis Xavier University and received a Bachelor of Science in Physical Education while continuing to build a career as a professional musician. MacDonald has taught for the Strait Regional School Board, the Mi'kmawey school at Chapel Island, and pursued a Masters in Education.

In 1994, he married Lori-Ann Gillis.

Music career

MacDonald is an accomplished musician and has toured his fiddle music throughout Atlantic Canada, Central Canada and the northeastern United States. He is also an accomplished step dancer; he began dancing at age four after learning the skill from his parents. MacDonald's first public performance was reportedly at age eight at the Mayflower Shopping Mall in Sydney and he began taking fiddle lessons from his uncle, Kinnon Beaton, at age 12. MacDonald has recorded two albums - Dancer's Delight (1996) and Traditionally Rockin' (1997, with his cousin Glenn Graham) and he was also included on the 2004 Smithsonian release The Beaton Family of Mabou: Cape Breton Fiddle and Piano Music. In 1998 he received two nominations for the East Coast Music Awards. He was also vice-president of GlennRod Music Incorporated.

Political career

MacDonald has served in the Legislative Assembly of Nova Scotia since the 1999 provincial election, representing the riding of Inverness in western Cape Breton Island. He was re-elected in 2003 and has served in cabinet with various portfolios as Minister of Tourism, Culture & Heritage, Minister of Health Promotion and Minister of Immigration, he has also been responsible for the Heritage Property Act and was formerly responsible for the Nova Scotia Liquor Corporation and the Nova Scotia Youth Secretariat.

Following Premier John Hamm's September, 2005 announcement of his intention to retire, MacDonald committed to running for the leadership of the Nova Scotia Progressive Conservative Party. The leadership race culminated in MacDonald winning the party's leadership on a second ballot on February 11, 2006. He was sworn in as Premier of Nova Scotia on February 24, succeeding Hamm. MacDonald is the second youngest premier in Nova Scotia's history, and is currently the second youngest premier in Canada.

MacDonald's Nova Scotia Progressive Conservative Party won a minority government in the 2006 general election.

MacDonald's government has been plagued with a series of scandals and blunders. These include: Minister Ernie Fage being criminally charged and resigning, a Human Rights complaint filed against the government by a former employee alleging systemic discrimination after complaints addressed to MacDonald about his staff were answered with a $5000 without prejudice offer, the Premier's office firing an employee who refused to take down a personal pro-Republican website, ATV's for Kids training program, two cabinet ministers (on different occasions) threatening to withhold funding for government projects in opposition member areas after the opposition members spoke out against the government, the Judy Stretch government SUV write off fiasco, and gas regulation. When asked to reduce the percentage of taxes on record high gas prices, MacDonald was quoted as saying "more people should take the bus". It should be noted that many Nova Scotians do not have municipal bus service in their areas. MacDonald was widely criticized for taking a helicopter to a supper in his home town of Mabou around the same time as his bus comment.

Two notable, damaging blunders have been The Provincial Nominee Program and The Atlantic Accord.

Provincial Nominee Program: An un-tendered contract was given out to a Cornwallis Financial to run the Nova Scotia Provincial Nominee Program to attract economic immigrants to Nova Scotia. The immigrants selected were each charged approximately $130,000.00 with almost all of the money being given to Cornwallis Financial and private companies. Some of the companies receiving money from this scheme were also financial contributors to Rodney MacDonald's Nova Scotia Conservative Party. This is a scandal that keeps reappearing in the Chronicle Herald/ Mail Star and other media in Nova Scotia as an inquiry proceeds.

The Atlantic Accord: In 2007 Prime Minister Stephen Harper decides to break his federal election promise that he would support the Atlantic Accord. Rodney MacDonald first spoke out against Harper's decision, but changed his stance after facing federal pressure to back Harper. Both Newfoundland Premier Danny Williams and Nova Scotia M.P. Bill Casey stood firm against Harper's decision to break this promise that involved tens of millions of dollars. Through his about-face, and comments to the media, some felt that MacDonald betrayed both Nova Scotia and MP Casey. Casey went on to win a landslide victory in his riding during the October 2008 Federal election in which the long time Progressive Conservative ran as an independent.

It is now believed by some that MacDonald is seeking an unelected, lifetime Senate appointment from Harper. However, Harper may not do this as it could re-open old wounds and alienate voters in Nova Scotia in the next Federal election.

References

"Why do you think Rodney MacDonald and the Conservative party are in last place in the polls?" http://www.cbc.ca/newsatsixns/yourturn/2008/06/why_do_you_think_rodney_macdon_1.html

"Cabinet Minister Ernie Fage is Charged": http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20070220/fage_charge_070220?s_name=&no_ads=

ATV's For Kids article: http://www.cbc.ca/canada/nova-scotia/story/2008/06/26/atvs-money.html

Cabinet Minister Threatens to Withold Public Money: http://thechronicleherald.ca/Front/9009271.html

"You Take A Bus - I'll Take A Helicopter": http://www.halifaxlive.com/content/view/1036/32/

Nova Scotia Provincial Nominee Scandal: http://www.immigrationwatchcanada.org/index.php?module=pagemaster&PAGE_user_op=view_printable&PAGE_id=2518&lay_quiet=1

The Atlantic Accord: http://novascotiabusinessjournal.com/index.cfm?sid=192592&sc=107