Ron Russell

The Honourable
Ron Russell
Member of the Nova Scotia House of Assembly
for Hants West
In office
19 September 1978 – 13 June 2006
Preceded byRobert D. Lindsay
Succeeded byChuck Porter
Speaker of the Nova Scotia House of Assembly
In office
21 May 1998 – 20 August 1999
PremierRussell MacLellan
Lieutenant GovernorJames Kinley
Preceded byGerry Fogarty
Succeeded byMurray Scott
In office
26 February 1991 – 28 June 1993
PremierDonald William Cameron
Lieutenant GovernorLloyd Crouse
Preceded byArt Donahoe
Succeeded byPaul MacEwan
In office
6 December 1978 – 19 February 1981
PremierJohn Buchanan
Lieutenant GovernorClarence Gosse
John Elvin Shaffner
Preceded byGeorge Doucet
Succeeded byArt Donahoe
Personal details
Born
Ronald Stanley Thornton Russell

(1926-07-22)22 July 1926
Ngongotahā, New Zealand
Died7 March 2019(2019-03-07) (aged 92)
Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
Political partyProgressive Conservative
Occupationpilot

Ronald Stanley Thornton Russell (22 July 1926 – 7 March 2019) was a Canadian politician and pilot who lived in Nova Scotia.

Early life and education

Russell was born in Ngongotahā, New Zealand.[1] He was a pilot for the Royal New Zealand Air Force during the Second World War, and later joined the Royal Canadian Air Force. Russell was educated at the Ryerson Institute of Technology and Queen's University. He retired from the RCAF in 1973, and then worked several years as the Manager of Halifax International Airport.

Political career

Russell served five years on the municipal council for West Hants before entering provincial politics. He was first elected to the Nova Scotia House of Assembly in the 1978 general election[2] and was re-elected in 1981,[3] 1984,[4] 1988,[5] 1993,[6] 1998,[7] 1999,[8] and 2003;[9] holding the seat until his retirement in 2006.

Russell was Speaker of the House of Assembly of Nova Scotia on three occasions, from 1978 to 1980, from 1991 to 1993 and again from 1998 until 1999. He was the first Speaker to be elected by his peers rather than be appointed by the Premier. He served in the Executive Council of Nova Scotia holding various portfolios under four different Premiers. He was Minister of Consumer Affairs from 1980 to 1981, of Health from 1985 to 1987, and was Solicitor General from 1987 to 1989 under Premier John Buchanan. He was Labour Minister from 1989 to 1991 under Roger Stuart Bacon.

Personal life

Russell married Anna Isfeld.[10] Russell died on 7 March 2019, at the age of 92.[11][12]

References

  1. ^ "Ronald Stanley Thornton "Aussie" Russell". The Chronicle Herald. 9 March 2019. Retrieved 10 March 2019.
  2. ^ "Returns of General Election for the House of Assembly 1978" (PDF). Elections Nova Scotia. 1978. Retrieved 9 May 2014.
  3. ^ "Returns of General Election for the House of Assembly 1981" (PDF). Elections Nova Scotia. 1981. Retrieved 9 May 2014.
  4. ^ "Returns of General Election for the House of Assembly 1984" (PDF). Elections Nova Scotia. 1984. Retrieved 9 May 2014.
  5. ^ "Returns of General Election for the House of Assembly 1988" (PDF). Elections Nova Scotia. 1988. Retrieved 9 May 2014.
  6. ^ "Returns of General Election for the House of Assembly 1993" (PDF). Elections Nova Scotia. 1993. Retrieved 9 May 2014.
  7. ^ "Election Returns, 1998 (Hants West" (PDF). Elections Nova Scotia. Retrieved 9 May 2014.
  8. ^ "Election Returns, 1999 (Hants West)" (PDF). Elections Nova Scotia. Retrieved 9 May 2014.
  9. ^ "Election Returns, 2003 (Hants West)" (PDF). Elections Nova Scotia. Retrieved 9 May 2014.
  10. ^ "Canadian Parliamentary Review". Parliament of Canada. 1979. Retrieved 27 November 2009.
  11. ^ "Longtime Conservative MLA Ron Russell dies at 92". The Chronicle Herald. 9 March 2019. Retrieved 9 March 2019.
  12. ^ "Ron Russell, longtime Hants West MLA, dies at 92". CBC News. 9 March 2019. Retrieved 9 March 2019.