Frank Corbett
{{Short description|Canadian politician}}
{{Use Canadian English|date=September 2021}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2021}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| honorific-prefix = The Honourable
| name = Frank Corbett
| honorific-suffix = ECNS
| caption =
| birth_date = 1954
| birth_place = New Waterford, Nova Scotia
| residence = Lingan, Nova Scotia
| constituency_AM = Cape Breton Centre
| assembly = Nova Scotia House of
| term_start = March 24, 1998
| term_end = April 2, 2015
| predecessor = Russell MacNeil
| successor = David Wilton
| office2 = Minister of the Public Service Commission
| term_start2 = June 19, 2009
| term_end2 = March 15, 2013
| predecessor2 = Len Goucher
| successor2 = Marilyn More
| office3 = Minister of Communications Nova Scotia
| term_start3 = June 19, 2009
| term_end3 = March 15, 2013
| predecessor3 = Judy Streatch
| successor3 = Marilyn More
| party = NDP
| religion =
| occupation =
}}
Francis "Frank" Corbett (born 1954[https://nslegislature.ca/members/profiles/frank-corbett/history 62nd General Assembly] Nova Scotia Legislature) is a former Deputy Premier of Nova Scotia.
He represented the riding of Cape Breton Centre in the Nova Scotia House of Assembly from 1998 to 2015. He was a member of the Nova Scotia New Democratic Party.{{cite web|url=http://www.capebretonpost.com/news/local/frank-corbett-gordie-gosse-resign-from-legislature-8741/|title=Frank Corbett, Gordie Gosse resign from legislature|work=Cape Breton Post|date=April 2, 2015|accessdate=2018-05-10}}
Early life and career
Corbett was born and raised in New Waterford and currently resides in Lingan. Corbett worked as a television cameraman for CJCB-TV, the CTV affiliate in Sydney and volunteered with the provincial NDP as well as the labour movement for over 25 years, primarily with the Communications, Energy, and Paperworkers Union.{{cite web|url=http://nsndp.ca/people/frank-corbett|title=Nova Scotia NDP biography|publisher=Nova Scotia New Democratic Party|accessdate=2014-10-13|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20141031075015/http://nsndp.ca/people/frank-corbett|archivedate=2014-10-31}} He served as official agent for Buddy MacEachern's successful elections in the 1974 and 1978 provincial elections.[http://electionsnovascotia.ca/sites/default/files/General%20Election%201974.pdf Nova Scotia General Election 1974] Elections Nova Scotia[https://electionsnovascotia.ca/sites/default/files/General%20Election%201978.pdf Nova Scotia General Election 1978] Elections Nova Scotia
Political career
Corbett ran for the NDP nomination in the riding of Cape Breton Centre{{cite web|url=http://www.herald.ns.ca/cgi-bin/home/displaypackstory?1998/03/11+131.raw+PE98Mar11+2|title=Coal is king in C.B. Centre|work=The Chronicle Herald|date=March 11, 1998|accessdate=2014-10-13|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20050123215848/http://www.herald.ns.ca/cgi-bin/home/displaypackstory?1998%2F03%2F11+131.raw+PE98Mar11+2|archivedate=January 23, 2005|url-status=dead}} and was first elected in the 1998 provincial election.{{cite web|url=http://www.herald.ns.ca/cgi-bin/home/displaypackstory?1998/03/26+274.raw+PE98Mar26+2|title=Drake now faces fight for union post|work=The Chronicle Herald|date=March 26, 1998|accessdate=2014-10-13|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20050124014600/http://www.herald.ns.ca/cgi-bin/home/displaypackstory?1998%2F03%2F26+274.raw+PE98Mar26+2|archivedate=January 24, 2005|url-status=dead}} Corbett was subsequently re-elected in the 1999, 2003,{{cite web|url=http://www.herald.ns.ca/cgi-bin/home/displaypackstory?2003/08/07+147.raw+PE03Aug7+2|title=C.B. Liberals buoyed by five-seat snag: 'We're going to be heard'|work=The Chronicle Herald|date=August 7, 2003|accessdate=2014-10-12|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20050124062715/http://www.herald.ns.ca/cgi-bin/home/displaypackstory?2003%2F08%2F07+147.raw+PE03Aug7+2|archivedate=January 24, 2005|url-status=dead}} 2006, 2009{{cite web|url=http://www.capebretonpost.com/News/Regional/2009-06-10/article-767724/Cape-Breton-Centre/1|title=Corbett landslide winner in Cape Breton Centre|work=Cape Breton Post|date=June 10, 2009|accessdate=2014-10-12|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://archive.today/20141013013624/http://www.capebretonpost.com/News/Regional/2009-06-10/article-767724/Cape-Breton-Centre/1|archivedate=October 13, 2014}} and 2013 provincial elections.{{cite web|url=http://www.capebretonpost.com/Elections/2013-10-08/article-3421987/Corbett-re-elected-in-Cape-Breton-Centre/1 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20141013013619/http://www.capebretonpost.com/Elections/2013-10-08/article-3421987/Corbett-re-elected-in-Cape-Breton-Centre/1 |url-status=dead |archive-date=October 13, 2014 |title=Corbett re-elected in Cape Breton Centre |work=Cape Breton Post |date=October 8, 2013 |accessdate=2014-10-12 }}
Following the 2009 election, Corbett was appointed to the Executive Council of Nova Scotia as Deputy Premier, Minister of the Public Service Commission, and Minister of Communications Nova Scotia.{{cite web|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/atlantic-canada-s-1st-ndp-government-takes-office-in-nova-scotia-1.789362|title=Atlantic Canada's 1st NDP government takes office in Nova Scotia|publisher=CBC News|date=June 19, 2009|accessdate=2014-10-12}} In a March 2013 cabinet shuffle, Corbett was appointed Minister of Labour and Advanced Education, and Minister of Immigration.{{cite web|url=http://metronews.ca/news/halifax/596649/nova-scotia-cabinet-has-minor-shuffle/|title=Nova Scotia cabinet has minor shuffle|work=Metro|location=Halifax|date=March 15, 2013|accessdate=2023-05-28|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20141018120821/http://metronews.ca/news/halifax/596649/nova-scotia-cabinet-has-minor-shuffle/|archive-date=October 18, 2014}} Along with his cabinet duties, Corbett also served as the Government House Leader.{{cn|date=May 2023}}
On November 10, 2009, it was revealed that Corbett had the highest meal expense bills on file amongst cabinet members in the new NDP government.{{cite web|url=http://thechronicleherald.ca/NovaScotia/1152006.html|title=Corbett takes early lead in meal expenses|work=The Chronicle Herald|date=November 10, 2009|accessdate=2016-06-25|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20091113085351/http://thechronicleherald.ca/NovaScotia/1152006.html|archivedate=November 13, 2009}} A check of ministers' records showed that Corbett expensed $441.48 for six people at the Keg restaurant in downtown Halifax on June 19, the night he and his 11 cabinet colleagues were sworn in. In July Corbett expensed $332.90 at CUT Steakhouse in Halifax for a dinner meeting for three people. Two nights later he expensed $250.28 at Ryan Duffy's in Halifax for three people.{{cn|date=May 2023}}
These revelations came after a statement released in September 2009 in which Corbett stated that because of the province's projected $590-million deficit, MLAs and staff had to be prepared to "lead by example." When news of Corbett's meal expenses was made public, he was quoted as saying "I screwed up and it won't happen again".http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/cbc/091111/canada/canada_novascotia_ns_corbett_dinner {{dead link|date=October 2014}}
On April 2, 2015, Corbett announced his resignation as MLA.{{cite web|url=http://thechronicleherald.ca/novascotia/1278289-ndp-mlas-gordie-gosse-frank-corbett-resign|title=
NDP MLAs Gordie Gosse, Frank Corbett resign|work=The Chronicle Herald|date=April 2, 2015|accessdate=2023-11-04|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160406151650/http://thechronicleherald.ca/novascotia/1278289-ndp-mlas-gordie-gosse-frank-corbett-resign|archivedate=April 6, 2016}}
Personal life
He is married to Joan and they have two children.{{cite web|url=http://www.capebretonpost.com/news/local/the-summer-of-frank-9372/|title=The summer of Frank|work=Cape Breton Post|date=June 24, 2015|accessdate=2018-05-10}}
References
{{reflist}}
{{Dexter Ministry}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Corbett, Frank}}
Category:Canadian people of Irish descent
Category:Nova Scotia New Democratic Party MLAs
Category:People from New Waterford, Nova Scotia
Category:Members of the Executive Council of Nova Scotia
Category:Deputy premiers of Nova Scotia
Category:20th-century members of the Nova Scotia House of Assembly
Category:Trade unionists from Nova Scotia
Category:21st-century members of the Nova Scotia House of Assembly