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Gordon Balser

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Gordon Balser
MLA for Digby-Annapolis
In office
March 24, 1998 – August 5, 2003
Preceded byJoseph H. Casey
Succeeded byHarold Theriault
Personal details
Born(1954-02-24)February 24, 1954
Digby, Nova Scotia, Canada
DiedApril 10, 2024(2024-04-10) (aged 70)
Digby, Nova Scotia, Canada
Political partyProgressive Conservative
OccupationTeacher

Gordon Douglas Balser (February 24, 1954 – April 10, 2024) was a Canadian educator and politician in Nova Scotia. He represented Digby-Annapolis in the Nova Scotia House of Assembly from 1998 to 2003 as a Progressive Conservative member.

Early life

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Balser was born on February 24, 1954. He grew up on a farm in Digby, Nova Scotia. He had four brothers and a sister. He attended Acadia University, where he received a BBA, BEd and a Masters in Education.[1]

Balser was a teacher, teaching principal and acting superintendent of schools for the Digby district. During his education career, he was a teacher and principal at both Barton Consolidated School and Digby Elementary School, as well as superintendent of schools for the Tri-County Area. In the summer, he worked as a carpenter for over 30 years.[1][2]

Political career

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Balser entered provincial politics in the 1998 election, defeating Liberal John Drish by 233 votes in the Digby-Annapolis riding.[3] He was re-elected in the 1999 election by over 2,200 votes.[4] In August 1999, he was appointed to the Executive Council of Nova Scotia as Minister of Economic Development and Minister of Transportation and Public Works.[5][6] In December 1999, the Transportation and Public Works portfolio was transferred to Ron Russell.[7] In June 2002, Balser was shuffled to Minister of Energy.[8] On December 19, 2002, premier John Hamm shuffled his cabinet, moving Balser to Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, and Minister of the Public Service Commission.[9] In the 2003 election, Balser was defeated by Liberal Harold Theriault.[10][11] Balser's loss was attributed to his support for a local quarrying project that Theriault had opposed.[12]

Personal life and death

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In 1981, he married Wendy Suzanne Moore. His daughter Jill Balser was elected to the legislature to represent Digby-Annapolis in the 2021 Nova Scotia general election.[13] In 2021, she became Nova Scotia's Minister of Labour, Skills and Immigration, as well as Minister responsible for Apprenticeship.[2][14] He also had two other daughters, Erin and Anne.[2] In 2002, he was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal.[15]

Balser died on April 10, 2024, at the age of 70.[1][15]

References

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  • Lumley, E Canadian Who's Who 2003 ISBN 0-8020-8865-1
  1. ^ a b c "OBITUARY - Honourable Gordon Douglas Balser". Jayne's Funeral Home. Retrieved 13 April 2024.
  2. ^ a b c Houston, Tim (11 April 2024). "Statement on Death of Former Cabinet Minister Gordon Balser". Government of Nova Scotia. Archived from the original on 11 April 2024. Retrieved 12 April 2024.
  3. ^ "Election Returns, 1998 (Digby-Annapolis)" (PDF). Elections Nova Scotia. Archived from the original (PDF) on 16 July 2015. Retrieved 24 November 2014.
  4. ^ "Election Returns, 1999 (Digby-Annapolis)" (PDF). Elections Nova Scotia. Archived (PDF) from the original on 16 July 2015. Retrieved 24 November 2014.
  5. ^ "Hamm shrinks cabinet". The Chronicle Herald. 14 August 1999. Archived from the original on 24 January 2005. Retrieved 24 November 2014.
  6. ^ "New Cabinet smaller than the last". CBC News. 13 August 1999. Archived from the original on 21 September 2015. Retrieved 24 November 2014.
  7. ^ "Nova Scotia cabinet shuffled". CBC News. 30 December 1999. Archived from the original on 20 September 2015. Retrieved 24 November 2014.
  8. ^ "Balser named Minister of Energy, Clark and Olive join cabinet". Government of Nova Scotia. 17 June 2002. Archived from the original on 23 September 2017. Retrieved 24 November 2014.
  9. ^ "Purves new health boss". The Chronicle Herald. 20 December 2002. Archived from the original on 9 May 2003. Retrieved 24 November 2014.
  10. ^ "Election Returns, 2003 (Digby-Annapolis)" (PDF). Elections Nova Scotia. Archived (PDF) from the original on 16 July 2015. Retrieved 24 November 2014.
  11. ^ "Several ministers lose seats". The Chronicle Herald. 6 August 2003. Archived from the original on 24 January 2005. Retrieved 24 November 2014.
  12. ^ Williams, Zoe (2022). The Political Economy of Investment Arbitration. Oxford University Press. p. 109. ISBN 9780192635457.
  13. ^ Tina Comeau, "PC candidate Jill Balser follows in dad's footsteps with Digby-Annapolis election win" Archived 18 August 2021 at the Wayback Machine. SaltWire Network, August 18, 2021.
  14. ^ "New Cabinet to Deliver Solutions for Nova Scotians". Government of Nova Scotia. 11 May 2018.
  15. ^ a b "Former N.S. cabinet minister dies". CTV News. 12 April 2024. Archived from the original on 11 April 2024. Retrieved 12 April 2024.
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