Gary Burrill
{{Short description|Canadian politician (born 1955)}}
{{distinguish|Gary Burrell}}
{{pp|small=yes}}
{{Use Canadian English|date=January 2023}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| image = Gary burrill 2021 (cropped).png
| imagesize =
| honorific-prefix = The Reverend
| name = Gary Burrill
| honorific-suffix =
| caption =
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1955|01|01}}[https://nslegislature.ca/sites/default/files/pdfs/people/mlabios.pdf Biographical Directory of MLAs from 1984 to the Present] Nova Scotia Legislature
| birth_place = Woodstock, New Brunswick
| office = Leader of the Nova Scotia New Democratic Party
| term_start = February 27, 2016
| term_end = June 25, 2022
| predecessor = Maureen MacDonald (Interim)
| successor = Claudia Chender
| assembly1 = Nova Scotia House of
| constituency_AM1= Halifax Chebucto
| term_start1 = May 30, 2017
| term_end1 = October 27, 2024
| predecessor1 = Joachim Stroink
| successor1 = Krista Gallagher
| assembly2 = Nova Scotia House of
| constituency_AM2 = Colchester-Musquodoboit Valley
| term_start2 = June 9, 2009
| term_end2 = October 8, 2013
| predecessor2 = Brooke Taylor
| successor2 = Larry Harrison
| party = New Democrat
| religion =
| occupation = United Church minister}}
Gary Clayton Burrill (born January 1, 1955)[https://memoryns.ca/burrill-gary-1955 Burrill, Gary, 1955-] MemoryNS is a Canadian politician and was the leader of the Nova Scotia New Democratic Party from 2016 until 2022.{{cite news | last = Fairclough | first = Ian | title = Chender comes out swinging in first speech as Nova Scotia's NDP leader | date = June 25, 2022 | newspaper = The Chronicle Herald | url = https://www.saltwire.com/halifax/news/chender-comes-out-swinging-in-first-speech-as-nova-scotias-ndp-leader-100747384/ | access-date = 2022-06-25 | url-status = live | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20220626023740/https://www.saltwire.com/halifax/news/chender-comes-out-swinging-in-first-speech-as-nova-scotias-ndp-leader-100747384/ | archive-date = June 26, 2022}} He served as leader during two Nova Scotia general elections in 2017 and 2021. He announced he'd be stepping down as leader after the 2021 election and was succeeded by Claudia Chender on June 25, 2022, although he continued to serve as an MLA until he decided not to run for re-election in 2024.
Early life and education
Born in Woodstock, New Brunswick, his father was a United Church minister. In 1978, he graduated from Queen's University with a Masters of Arts in History. Burrill taught sociology at Mount Saint Vincent University, Saint Mary's University, and the Maritime School of Social Work. He later graduated with a Masters of Divinity from Harvard University, and in 1992 he was ordained as a minister in the United Church of Canada and became a minister in Upper Musquodoboit.
In the 1980s, Burrill was managing editor of New Maritimes, a left-wing regional periodical.{{cite news |last1=Gawthrop |first1=Dan |title=The politics of anger put in print |url=https://archive.org/details/AtlanticInsight-107-May-1988/page/18/mode/2up |work=Atlantic Insight |date=May 1988 |pages=18–21}}
Political career
He was elected to the Nova Scotia House of Assembly in the 2009 provincial election.{{cite web|url=http://www.trurodaily.com/News/Politics/2009-06-10/article-338053/Burrill-shocked-by-unexpected-win-in-Colchester-Musquodoboit-Valley/1|title=Burrill shocked by unexpected win in Colchester Musquodoboit Valley|work=Truro Daily News|date=June 10, 2009|access-date=2024-01-24|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20141016150117/http://www.trurodaily.com/News/Politics/2009-06-10/article-338053/Burrill-shocked-by-unexpected-win-in-Colchester-Musquodoboit-Valley/1|archivedate=October 16, 2014}} He represented the riding of Colchester-Musquodoboit Valley as a member of the New Democratic Party until his defeat in the 2013 election.{{cite web|url=http://www.trurodaily.com/News/Local/2013-10-08/article-3421955/Harrison-returns-ColchesterMusquodboit-Valley-riding-to-PC-fold/1|title=Harrison returns Colchester-Musquodoboit Valley riding to PC fold|work=Truro Daily News|date=October 8, 2013|access-date=2014-10-10|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://archive.today/20131011172434/http://www.trurodaily.com/News/Local/2013-10-08/article-3421955/Harrison-returns-ColchesterMusquodboit-Valley-riding-to-PC-fold/1|archive-date=October 11, 2013}}
Burrill was the ministerial assistant for the Minister of Community Services (Housing), and chair of the Veteran's Affairs Committee of the Nova Scotia Legislature, in the government of Darrell Dexter.{{cite press release
| title = Ministerial Assistants Announced
| publisher = Government of Nova Scotia
| date = February 10, 2010
| url = http://www.gov.ns.ca/news/details.asp?id=20110210003
| access-date = March 26, 2011}}
On June 11, 2015, Burrill announced he was running for the leadership of the Nova Scotia New Democratic Party.{{cite web|url=http://thechronicleherald.ca/novascotia/1292719-former-mla-gary-burrill-joins-race-to-lead-provincial-new-democrats|title=Former MLA Gary Burrill joins race to lead provincial New Democrats|work=The Chronicle Herald|date=June 12, 2015|access-date=2024-01-24|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150617061305/http://thechronicleherald.ca/novascotia/1292719-former-mla-gary-burrill-joins-race-to-lead-provincial-new-democrats|archivedate=June 17, 2015}} On February 27, 2016, Burrill was elected as leader of the party, winning on the second counting of ballots in the instant-runoff voting system used for this election.{{cite web|url=http://thechronicleherald.ca/novascotia/1344981-gary-burrill-chosen-as-new-leader-of-nova-scotias-ndp|title=Gary Burrill chosen as new leader of Nova Scotia's NDP|work=The Chronicle Herald|date=February 27, 2016|access-date=2024-01-24|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304113355/http://thechronicleherald.ca/novascotia/1344981-gary-burrill-chosen-as-new-leader-of-nova-scotias-ndp|archivedate=March 4, 2016}}
In July 2016, Burrill announced that he would seek the NDP nomination in Halifax Chebucto for the 2017 election.{{cite web|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/gary-burrill-nova-scotia-ndp-halifax-chebucto-1.3674881|title=NDP Leader Gary Burrill to seek Halifax Chebucto nomination|publisher=CBC News|date=July 12, 2016|access-date=2016-07-16}} He defeated Joachim Stroink in the election to return to the legislature.{{cite web|url=http://www.metronews.ca/news/halifax/2017/05/30/ndp-leader-gary-burrill-wins-his-seat-in-halifax-chebucto.html|title=Leader Gary Burrill wins Halifax Chebucto, 'returned to the New Democratic Party'|work=Metro|date=May 31, 2017|access-date=2017-06-09|archive-date=2017-06-08|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170608020826/http://www.metronews.ca/news/halifax/2017/05/30/ndp-leader-gary-burrill-wins-his-seat-in-halifax-chebucto.html|url-status=dead}} Under Burrill's leadership in the 2017 election, the NDP took seven seats, the same number the party received on election night in 2013 but two more than it held going into the election.
In the August 2021 provincial election, Burrill was re-elected, along with five other NDP MLAs, all women. On November 9, 2021, Burrill announced he would step down as party leader, but would remain on until a new leader was chosen at a convention within the year.
{{cite news
| last = Campbell
| first = Francis
| title = Burrill steps down as leader of Nova Scotia NDP
| date = November 9, 2021
| newspaper = The Chronicle Herald
| location = Halifax, Nova Scotia
| url = https://www.saltwire.com/halifax/news/right-time-for-us-gary-burrill-steps-down-as-leader-of-nova-scotia-ndp-100655776/
| access-date = 2022-06-26
| url-status = live
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20211110131512/https://www.saltwire.com/halifax/news/right-time-for-us-gary-burrill-steps-down-as-leader-of-nova-scotia-ndp-100655776/
| archive-date = November 10, 2021
}} On May 21, 2022 registration closed for the leadership race, with Claudia Chender being the sole candidate to replace Burrill.
{{cite news
| author = The Canadian Press
| title = Claudia Chender sole candidate running as leader of Nova Scotia's NDP
| date = May 21, 2022
| newspaper = Toronto Star
| url = https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2022/05/21/claudia-chender-sole-candidate-running-as-leader-of-nova-scotias-ndp.html
| access-date = 2022-05-23
| url-status = live
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20220523110948/https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2022/05/21/claudia-chender-sole-candidate-running-as-leader-of-nova-scotias-ndp.html
| archive-date = May 23, 2022
}} She was confirmed as leader after a general membership vote on June 25, 2022 in Dartmouth and Burrill then formally stepped down as leader.
{{cite news
| last = Doucette
| first = Keith
| title = Nova Scotia NDP officially confirms Claudia Chender as new party leader
| date = June 25, 2022
| newspaper = Toronto Star
| agency = The Canadian Press
| url = https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2022/06/25/nova-scotia-ndp-officially-confirms-claudia-chender-as-new-party-leader.html
| access-date = 2022-06-26
| url-status = live
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20220626201806/https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2022/06/25/nova-scotia-ndp-officially-confirms-claudia-chender-as-new-party-leader.html
| archive-date = June 26, 2022
}}
As of September 22, 2024, Burrill serves as the Third Party spokesperson for Seniors and Long-Term Care, Service Nova Scotia and Internal Services, and Fisheries and Aquaculture. He also serves as Caucus Whip for the Third Party.
In July 2024, Burrill announced that he would not be seeking reelection in the next Nova Scotia general election.{{Cite news |last=LaRoche |first=Jean |date=July 4, 2024 |title=Former NDP leader Gary Burrill will not run for re-election |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/gary-burrill-ndp-leader-retirement-1.7254390 |access-date=October 25, 2024 |work=CBC News}}
Electoral record
{{Canadian election result/top|NS|2021|Halifax Chebucto|percent=yes|change=yes}}
{{CANelec|NS|NDP|Gary Burrill| 4,009| 51.99|+5.84}}
{{CANelec|NS|Liberal|Jackie Kinley| 2,478| 32.14|-7.15}}
{{CANelec|NS|PC|John Wesley Chisholm| 911 | 11.81|+1.23}}
{{CANelec|NS|Green|Lily Barraclough| 313| 4.06|+0.10}}
{{Canadian election result/total|Total valid votes| 7,711|99.64|-0.03}}
{{Canadian election result/total|Total rejected ballots|28|0.36|+0.03}}
{{Canadian election result/total|Turnout|7,739|62.01|+8.94}}
{{Canadian election result/total|Eligible voters| 12,481}}
{{CANelec/hold|NS|NDP|+6.50}}
{{CANelec/source|Source: Elections Nova Scotia{{cite web |title=Provincial General Election 2021-08-17- Official Results |url=https://results.electionsns.ca/ |publisher=Elections Nova Scotia |accessdate=October 7, 2021 |archive-date=2021-10-07 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211007215320/https://results.electionsns.ca/ |url-status=dead }}}}
{{end}}
{{Nova Scotia provincial election, 2017/Halifax Chebucto}}
{{CANelec/top|NS|2013|Colchester-Musquodoboit Valley|percent=yes|change=yes}}
{{CANelec|NS|PC|Larry Harrison|3,304|42.27|+13.28}}
{{CANelec|NS|NDP|Gary Burrill|2,293|29.33|-18.76}}
{{CANelec|NS|Liberal|Tom Martin|2,220|28.40|+7.79}}
{{CANelec/total|Total|7,817|–}}
{{end}}
{{CANelec/top|NS|2009|Colchester-Musquodoboit Valley|percent=yes|change=yes}}
{{CANelec|NS|NDP|Gary Burrill|3,697|47.45|+22.24}}
{{CANelec|NS|PC|Steve Streatch|2,265|29.07|-34.78}}
{{CANelec|NS|Liberal|Willie Versteeg|1,649|21.16|+12.41}}
{{CANelec|NS|Green|Margaret Whitney|181|2.32|+0.14}}
{{CANelec/total|Total|7,792|–}}
{{CANelec/source|hide=Source: {{cite web|url=https://nslegislature.ca/sites/default/files/constituencies/pdfs/colchester-musquodoboit_valley.pdf|title=Electoral History for Colchester-Musquodoboit Valley|author=Nova Scotia Legislature |date=2021 |website=nslegislature.ca}}}}
{{end}}
{{CANelec/top|NS|2006|Colchester-Musquodoboit Valley|percent=yes|change=yes}}
{{CANelec|NS|PC|Brooke Taylor|4,790|63.85|-0.49}}
{{CANelec|NS|NDP|Gary Burrill|1,891|25.21|+1.99}}
{{CANelec|NS|Liberal|Carolyn Matthews|657|8.76|-3.69}}
{{CANelec|NS|Green|Leona MacLeod|164|2.19|–}}
{{CANelec/total|Total|7,502|–}}
{{CANelec/source|hide=Source: {{cite web|url=https://nslegislature.ca/sites/default/files/constituencies/pdfs/colchester-musquodoboit_valley.pdf|title=Electoral History for Colchester-Musquodoboit Valley|author=Nova Scotia Legislature |date=2021 |website=nslegislature.ca}}}}
{{end}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Nova Scotia NDP Leaders}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Burrill, Gary}}
Category:Leaders of the Nova Scotia CCF/NDP
Category:Ministers of the United Church of Canada
Category:Nova Scotia New Democratic Party MLAs
Category:People from Colchester County
Category:People from Woodstock, New Brunswick
Category:Harvard Divinity School alumni
Category:Academic staff of Mount Saint Vincent University
Category:Academic staff of the Saint Mary's University (Halifax)
Category:21st-century members of the Nova Scotia House of Assembly