Michael Baker (politician)

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The Honourable
Michael Baker
ONS QC
Member of the Nova Scotia House of Assembly
for Lunenburg
In office
March 24, 1998 – March 2, 2009
Preceded byLila O'Connor
Succeeded byPam Birdsall
Minister of Finance
In office
February 23, 2006 – February 22, 2009
PremierRodney MacDonald
Preceded byPeter G. Christie
Succeeded byChris d'Entremont
Minister of Justice and
Attorney General of Nova Scotia
In office
August 16, 1999 – December 19, 2002
PremierJohn Hamm
Preceded byRobbie Harrison
Succeeded byMurray Scott
Minister of Justice and
Attorney General of Nova Scotia
In office
August 18, 2003 – February 24, 2006
PremierJohn Hamm
Preceded byJamie Muir
Succeeded byMurray Scott
Personal details
Born(1957-01-28)January 28, 1957
Lunenburg, Nova Scotia
DiedMarch 2, 2009(2009-03-02) (aged 52)
Lunenburg, Nova Scotia
Political partyProgressive Conservative
OccupationLawyer

Michael Gilbert Baker, ONS QC (January 28, 1957 – March 2, 2009) was a Canadian politician. He represented the electoral district of Lunenburg in the Nova Scotia House of Assembly between 1998 and 2009. He was a Progressive Conservative.[1]

Early life and career[edit]

Born in 1957 at Lunenburg, Nova Scotia, Baker was a graduate of Dalhousie Law School.[2] He practiced law at Hennigar, Wells, Lamey & Baker in Mahone Bay and Chester and as a solicitor for the Town of Mahone Bay.[3] He was past president of Lunenburg County Barristers Association, member of Nova Scotia Barristers Society Council, and Director of Marine Atlantic.[2] Baker was appointed Queen's Counsel in 1999.[2]

Political career[edit]

Baker entered provincial politics in 1998, defeating Liberal incumbent Lila O'Connor by 132 votes in the Lunenburg riding.[4][5] In the 1999 election, Baker was re-elected, defeating O'Connor by over 2200 votes.[6] In August 1999, Baker was appointed to the Executive Council of Nova Scotia as Minister of Justice and Attorney General.[7] In December 2001, Baker was given an additional role in cabinet as Chair of Treasury and Policy Board.[8] In a December 2002 cabinet shuffle, Baker was moved to Minister of Transportation and Public Works.[9] He was re-elected in the 2003 election,[10] and was re-appointed as Minister of Justice and Attorney General, retained Chair of Treasury and Policy Board, and given a new role as Minister of Aboriginal Affairs in a post-election cabinet shuffle.[11]

When Rodney MacDonald took over as premier in February 2006, Baker was named Minister of Finance, and Minister of Aboriginal Affairs.[12] In May 2006, Baker underwent surgery to remove a cancerous tumor,[13] but still ran for re-election in June 2006, winning his seat by 1300 votes.[14] Following the election, Baker retained his cabinet positions,[15] and continued to serve despite facing more serious health issues.[16] As of January 2009, Baker was still planning on reoffering in the next election, but his condition worsened and he stepped down from cabinet in February.[17] Baker died of cancer on March 2, 2009, at his home in Lunenburg. He was 52.[18]

In 2009, he was a posthumous recipient of the Order of Nova Scotia.[19][20]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Electoral History for Lunenburg" (PDF). Nova Scotia Legislative Library. Retrieved June 24, 2015.
  2. ^ a b c "Cabinet biography". Nova Scotia Legislature. Archived from the original on May 2, 2009. Retrieved June 24, 2015.
  3. ^ "Nova Scotia Tory was committed to public life". The Globe and Mail. March 16, 2009.
  4. ^ "Election Returns, 1998 (Lunenburg)" (PDF). Elections Nova Scotia. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 26, 2015. Retrieved June 24, 2015.
  5. ^ "Grit veterans swept away by 'orange tide'". The Chronicle Herald. March 25, 1998. Archived from the original on January 24, 2005. Retrieved June 24, 2015.
  6. ^ "Election Returns, 1999 (Lunenburg)" (PDF). Elections Nova Scotia. Retrieved June 24, 2015.
  7. ^ "Hamm shrinks cabinet". The Chronicle Herald. August 14, 1999. Archived from the original on January 24, 2005. Retrieved June 24, 2015.
  8. ^ "Ron Russell named Deputy Premier, Michael Baker gains duties". Government of Nova Scotia. December 18, 2001. Retrieved June 24, 2015.
  9. ^ "Purves new health boss". The Chronicle Herald. December 20, 2002. Archived from the original on May 9, 2003. Retrieved June 24, 2015.
  10. ^ "Election Returns, 2003 (Lunenburg)" (PDF). Elections Nova Scotia. Retrieved June 24, 2015.
  11. ^ "New faces, new jobs among 15 in cabinet". The Chronicle Herald. August 16, 2003. Archived from the original on January 24, 2005. Retrieved June 24, 2015.
  12. ^ "MacDonald mixes cabinet with old and new". CBC News. February 23, 2006. Retrieved June 24, 2015.
  13. ^ "N.S. Finance Minister Michael Baker to undergo cancer surgery on neck". The Daily News. Halifax. May 3, 2006.
  14. ^ "Election Returns, 2006 (Lunenburg)" (PDF). Elections Nova Scotia. Retrieved June 24, 2015.
  15. ^ "MacDonald's expanded cabinet has 3 rookies". CBC News. June 26, 2006. Retrieved June 24, 2015.
  16. ^ "Michael Baker to continue treatment for cancer". Government of Nova Scotia. March 21, 2007. Retrieved June 24, 2015.
  17. ^ "Provincial finance minister Michael Baker steps down". Metro. Halifax. February 22, 2009. Retrieved April 2, 2021.
  18. ^ "Nova Scotia's finance minister dies of cancer". CBC News. March 3, 2009. Retrieved June 24, 2015.
  19. ^ "2009 Order of Nova Scotia recipients". Government of Nova Scotia. Retrieved June 24, 2015.
  20. ^ "Five awarded Order of N.S." Metro. Halifax. October 8, 2009. Retrieved April 2, 2021.
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