Len Goucher

{{Short description|Canadian politician}}

{{Use Canadian English|date=January 2023}}

{{Infobox officeholder

| honorific-prefix = The Honourable

|honorific-suffix= ECNS

| image =

| name = Leonard Goucher

| caption =

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1947|9|19|mf=yes}}

| birth_place =

| residence =

| assembly = Nova Scotia House of

| constituency_AM = Bedford

| term_start = June 13, 2006

| term_end = June 9, 2009

| predecessor = Peter Christie

| successor = Kelly Regan

| party = Progressive Conservative

| occupation =

}}

Leonard Goucher (born September 19, 1947) is a Canadian politician, who represented the electoral district of Bedford in the Nova Scotia House of Assembly from 2006 to 2009. He is a member of the Progressive Conservatives.{{cite web|url=http://nslegislature.ca/pdfs/about/ConstituencyHistories/bedford%20(2013).pdf|title=Electoral History for Bedford|publisher=Nova Scotia Legislative Library|accessdate=2015-04-08}}

A town councilor in Bedford, Nova Scotia from 1988 to 1996, Goucher was elected to Halifax Regional Council in 2000.{{cite web|url=http://www.gov.ns.ca/legislature/MEMBERS/cabinet/barnet.html|title=Cabinet biography|publisher=Nova Scotia Legislature|accessdate=2015-04-08|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090414133433/http://www.gov.ns.ca/legislature/MEMBERS/cabinet/goucher.html|archivedate=April 14, 2009}}{{cite web|url=http://www.herald.ns.ca/stories/2000/10/22/f109.raw.html|title=Veterans Downey, Schofield lose seats|work=The Chronicle Herald|date=October 22, 2000|accessdate=2018-05-11|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20001109053300/http://www.herald.ns.ca/stories/2000/10/22/f109.raw.html|archivedate=November 9, 2000}} He was re-elected in 2004 and served as Deputy Mayor of the Halifax Regional Municipality.{{cite web|url=http://www.bedfordbeacon.com/pc-len-goucher-runs-for-re-election|title=PC Len Goucher runs for re-election|work=Bedford Beacon|date=May 7, 2009|accessdate=2023-11-27|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090517010237/http://www.bedfordbeacon.com/pc-len-goucher-runs-for-re-election|archivedate=May 17, 2009}} He entered provincial politics in the 2006 election, defeating Liberal leader Francis MacKenzie in the Bedford riding.{{cite web|url=http://www.cbc.ca/nsvotes2006/riding/004/|title=Bedford|publisher=CBC News|date=June 13, 2006|accessdate=2015-04-08}}{{cite web|url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/nova-scotia-premier-fiddles-liberals-burn/article20412331/|title=Nova Scotia Premier fiddles, Liberals burn|work=The Globe and Mail|date=June 13, 2006|accessdate=2015-04-08}} In June 2006, Goucher was appointed to the Executive Council of Nova Scotia as Minister of Tourism, Culture and Heritage.{{cite web|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/macdonald-s-expanded-cabinet-has-3-rookies-1.590233|title=MacDonald's expanded cabinet has 3 rookies|publisher=CBC News|date=June 26, 2006|accessdate=2015-04-08}} In October 2007, Goucher was shuffled to Minister of Immigration.{{cite web|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/embattled-immigration-minister-out-in-shuffle-1.661170|title=Embattled immigration minister out in shuffle|publisher=CBC News|date=October 23, 2007|accessdate=2014-10-14}} In January 2009, he was given two additional roles in cabinet, becoming Minister of the Public Service Commission, and Minister of Seniors.{{cite web|url=http://www.capebretonpost.com/Business/2009-01-07/article-778382/N.S.-Premier-Rodney-MacDonald-shuffles-cabinet%3B-one-new-face/1|title=N.S. Premier Rodney MacDonald shuffles cabinet; one new face|work=Cape Breton Post|date=January 7, 2009|accessdate=2023-11-27|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140906222829/http://www.capebretonpost.com/Business/2009-01-07/article-778382/N.S.-Premier-Rodney-MacDonald-shuffles-cabinet%3B-one-new-face/1|archivedate=September 6, 2014}} In the 2009 election, Goucher was defeated by Liberal Kelly Regan.{{cite web|url=http://thechronicleherald.ca/Election/1126468.html|title=Nine Tory cabinet ministers bounced|work=The Chronicle Herald|date=June 10, 2009|accessdate=2015-04-08|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090613061400/http://thechronicleherald.ca/Election/1126468.html|archivedate=June 13, 2009}}

In February 2010, he became embroiled in a spending scandal involving inappropriate expenses charged to the public by a number of Nova Scotia MLAs.{{cite web|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/former-mla-goucher-biggest-spender-1.901037|title=Former MLA Goucher biggest spender|publisher=CBC News|date=February 10, 2010|accessdate=2015-07-25}} Goucher was singled out by the Canadian Taxpayers Federation when they highlighted Nova Scotian politicians for their "outrageous" expense claims, naming him the all-star of the scandal and giving him the nickname Len "the master of multi-tasking" Goucher.{{cite web|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/n-s-mlas-honoured-for-wastefulness-1.924472|title=N.S. MLAs 'honoured' for wastefulness|publisher=CBC News|date=March 10, 2010|accessdate=2015-07-25}} On February 14, 2011 the RCMP released its investigation results and he was cleared of any wrongdoing.