Gordon Balser

Balser was born on 24 February 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.

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.{{cite web |first=Tim |last=Houston |url=https://news.novascotia.ca/en/2024/04/11/statement-death-former-cabinet-minister-gordon-balser |title=Statement on Death of Former Cabinet Minister Gordon Balser |publisher=Government of Nova Scotia |date=2024-04-11 |accessdate=2024-04-12 |archive-date=11 April 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240411215640/https://news.novascotia.ca/en/2024/04/11/statement-death-former-cabinet-minister-gordon-balser |url-status=live }}

Balser entered provincial politics in the 1998 election, defeating Liberal John Drish by 233 votes in the Digby-Annapolis riding.{{cite web|url=http://electionsnovascotia.ca/sites/default/files/Dist23.pdf |title=Election Returns, 1998 (Digby-Annapolis) |publisher=Elections Nova Scotia |accessdate=2014-11-24 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150716132309/http://electionsnovascotia.ca/sites/default/files/dist23.pdf |archivedate=2015-07-16 }} He was re-elected in the 1999 election by over 2,200 votes.{{cite web|url=http://electionsnovascotia.ca/sites/default/files/99DIGANN.pdf|title=Election Returns, 1999 (Digby-Annapolis)|publisher=Elections Nova Scotia|accessdate=2014-11-24|archive-date=16 July 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150716132052/http://electionsnovascotia.ca/sites/default/files/99DIGANN.pdf|url-status=live}} 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.{{cite web|url=http://www.herald.ns.ca/cgi-bin/home/displaypackstory?1999/08/14+200.raw+PE99Aug14+2 |title=Hamm shrinks cabinet |work=The Chronicle Herald |date=14 August 1999 |accessdate=2014-11-24 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20050124064704/http://www.herald.ns.ca/cgi-bin/home/displaypackstory?1999%2F08%2F14+200.raw+PE99Aug14+2 |archivedate=24 January 2005 |url-status=dead }}{{cite web|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-cabinet-smaller-than-the-last-1.181850|title=New Cabinet smaller than the last|publisher=CBC News|date=13 August 1999|accessdate=2014-11-24|archive-date=21 September 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150921094224/http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-cabinet-smaller-than-the-last-1.181850|url-status=live}} In December 1999, the Transportation and Public Works portfolio was transferred to Ron Russell.{{cite web|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia-cabinet-shuffled-1.174676|title=Nova Scotia cabinet shuffled|publisher=CBC News|date=30 December 1999|accessdate=2014-11-24|archive-date=20 September 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150920140424/http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia-cabinet-shuffled-1.174676|url-status=live}} In June 2002, Balser was shuffled to Minister of Energy.{{cite web|url=https://novascotia.ca/news/release/?id=20000217018|title=Balser named Minister of Energy, Clark and Olive join cabinet|publisher=Government of Nova Scotia|date=17 June 2002|accessdate=2014-11-24|archive-date=23 September 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170923171504/https://novascotia.ca/news/release/?id=20000217018|url-status=live}} On 19 December 2002, premier John Hamm shuffled his cabinet, moving Balser to Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, and Minister of the Public Service Commission.{{cite web|url=http://www.herald.ns.ca/stories/2002/12/20/f219.raw.html|title=Purves new health boss|work=The Chronicle Herald|date=20 December 2002|accessdate=2014-11-24|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20030509010956/http://www.herald.ns.ca/stories/2002/12/20/f219.raw.html|archivedate=9 May 2003}} In the 2003 election, Balser was defeated by Liberal Harold Theriault.{{cite web|url=http://electionsnovascotia.ca/sites/default/files/03dist21.pdf|title=Election Returns, 2003 (Digby-Annapolis)|publisher=Elections Nova Scotia|accessdate=2014-11-24|archive-date=16 July 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150716132550/http://electionsnovascotia.ca/sites/default/files/03dist21.pdf|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=http://www.herald.ns.ca/cgi-bin/home/displaypackstory?2003/08/06+198.raw+PE03Aug6+2 |title=Several ministers lose seats |work=The Chronicle Herald |date=6 August 2003 |accessdate=2014-11-24 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20050124042943/http://www.herald.ns.ca/cgi-bin/home/displaypackstory?2003%2F08%2F06+198.raw+PE03Aug6+2 |archivedate=24 January 2005 |url-status=dead }} Balser's loss was attributed to his support for a local quarrying project that Theriault had opposed.{{cite book |title=The Political Economy of Investment Arbitration |first=Zoe |last=Williams |page=109 |publisher=Oxford University Press |year=2022 |isbn=9780192635457}}

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.Tina Comeau, [https://www.saltwire.com/atlantic-canada/communities/pc-candidate-jill-balser-follows-in-dads-footsteps-with-digby-annapolis-election-win-100624719/ "PC candidate Jill Balser follows in dad's footsteps with Digby-Annapolis election win"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210818111925/https://www.saltwire.com/atlantic-canada/communities/pc-candidate-jill-balser-follows-in-dads-footsteps-with-digby-annapolis-election-win-100624719/ |date=18 August 2021 }}. SaltWire Network, 18 August 2021. In 2021, she became Nova Scotia's Minister of Labour, Skills and Immigration, as well as Minister responsible for Apprenticeship.{{Cite web |publisher=Government of Nova Scotia |url=https://novascotia.ca/news/release/?id=20210831003 |title=New Cabinet to Deliver Solutions for Nova Scotians |date=11 May 2018}} He also had two other daughters, Erin and Anne. In 2002, he was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal.{{Cite web |url=https://atlantic.ctvnews.ca/more/former-n-s-cabinet-minister-dies-premier-1.6843282 |title=Former N.S. cabinet minister dies |publisher=CTV News |date=2024-04-12 |accessdate=2024-04-12 |archive-date=11 April 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240411203532/https://atlantic.ctvnews.ca/more/former-n-s-cabinet-minister-dies-premier-1.6843282 |url-status=live }}

Balser died on 10 April 2024, at the age of 70.{{cite web|title=OBITUARY - Honourable Gordon Douglas Balser|url=https://www.dignitymemorial.com/en-ca/obituaries/digby-ns/gordon-balser-11766630|publisher=Jayne's Funeral Home|access-date=13 April 2024}}

{{Reflist}}

• [https://books.google.com/books?id=KSPiKJQfTfoC&pg=PA62 Lumley, E Canadian Who's Who 2003] {{ISBN|0-8020-8865-1}}

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Category:1954 births

Category:2024 deaths

Category:Acadia University alumni

Category:Members of the Executive Council of Nova Scotia

Category:People from Digby County, Nova Scotia

Category:Progressive Conservative Association of Nova Scotia MLAs

Category:20th-century members of the Nova Scotia House of Assembly

Category:21st-century members of the Nova Scotia House of Assembly