Michel Samson
{{Short description|Canadian politician (born 1972)}}
{{Use Canadian English|date=September 2021}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2021}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| image = |
| honorific-prefix = The Honourable
| name = Michel Samson
| honorific-suffix = ECNS
| caption = The Honourable Michel Samson, MLA
| birth_date = 1972[http://nslegislature.ca/index.php/people/member-bios/62/randy_delorey 62nd General Assembly] Nova Scotia Legislature
| birth_place = Sydney, Nova Scotia
| residence = Arichat, Nova Scotia
| assembly = Nova Scotia House of
| constituency_AM =Cape Breton-Richmond
Richmond (1998-2013)
| term_start1 = 24 March 1998
| term_end1 = 30 May 2017
| predecessor1 = Richie Mann
| successor1 = Alana Paon
| office2 = Minister of Economic and Rural Development and Tourism
| premier2 = Stephen McNeil
| term_start2 = 22 October 2013
| term_end2 = 30 May 2017
| predecessor2 = Graham Steele
| successor2 =
| office3 = Leader of the Nova Scotia Liberal Party interim
| term_start3 = 20 June 2006
| term_end3 = 27 April 2007
| predecessor3 = Francis MacKenzie
| successor3 = Stephen McNeil
| office4 = Minister of the Environment
| premier4 = Russell MacLellan
| term_start4 = 16 December 1998
| term_end4 = 16 August 1999
| predecessor4 = Don Downe
| successor4= Kerry Morash
| party = Nova Scotia Liberal Party
| occupation = Lawyer
}}
Michel P. Samson (born 1972) is a Canadian politician, who represented the electoral district of Cape Breton-Richmond, formerly Richmond in the Nova Scotia House of Assembly from 1998 to 2017. He was a member of the Nova Scotia Liberal Party.
Samson attended Isle Madame District High School and graduated with a B.A. from Dalhousie University in 1994 and a LL.B. from Dalhousie Law School in 1997. Samson articled with the Halifax law firm of Blois, Nickerson & Bryson and he was admitted to the Nova Scotia in 1998 before working as an associate at the Port Hawkesbury law firm of Macdonald, Boudrot & Doucet.{{fact|date=November 2024}}
Political career
In 1998 Samson successfully ran for the Nova Scotia Liberal Party nomination in the riding of Richmond.{{cite news|url=http://www.herald.ns.ca/cgi-bin/home/displaypackstory?1998/03/06+127.raw+PE98Mar06+2 |title=Law graduate to carry banner for Liberals |publisher=The Chronicle Herald |date=6 March 1998 |accessdate=2013-11-11 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20040505122441/http://www.herald.ns.ca/cgi-bin/home/displaypackstory?1998%2F03%2F06%2B127.raw%2BPE98Mar06%2B2 |archivedate=5 May 2004 }} He was elected in the 1998 provincial election. In December 1998, Samson was appointed to the Executive Council of Nova Scotia where he served as Minister of the Environment as well as Minister responsible for administration of the Youth Secretariat Act.{{cite news|url=https://novascotia.ca/news/release/?id=19981211002|title=Premier MacLellan Shuffles Cabinet|publisher=Government of Nova Scotia|date=11 December 1998|accessdate=2013-11-11}} At the time, he was the youngest person ever to be appointed to the Executive Council of Nova Scotia.{{citation needed|date=November 2013}}
Samson was re-elected in the 1999, 2003, 2006, and 2013 provincial elections.
Samson served as interim leader of the Nova Scotia Liberal Party from 2006-2007 following the resignation of Francis MacKenzie until Stephen McNeil was elected leader; Samson having decided not to pursue the leadership.{{cite news|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/samson-stays-out-of-grit-leadership-race-1.676822|title=Samson stays out of Grit leadership race|publisher=Canadian Broadcasting Corporation|date=12 January 2007|accessdate=2023-11-29}}
On 22 October 2013, Samson was appointed to the Executive Council of Nova Scotia to serve as Minister of Economic and Rural Development and Tourism as well as Minister of Acadian Affairs.{{cite news|title=Premier Stephen McNeil welcomes 16-member cabinet|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/premier-stephen-mcneil-welcomes-16-member-cabinet-1.2158475|accessdate=2013-10-22|publisher=CBC|date=22 October 2013}} In March 2015, Samson was sworn-in as Minister of Energy following the resignation from cabinet of Andrew Younger.{{cite news|url=http://thechronicleherald.ca/novascotia/1276592-andrew-younger-resigns-from-cabinet|title=Andrew Younger resigns from cabinet|work=The Chronicle Herald|date=25 March 2015|accessdate=2023-11-29|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150327040550/http://thechronicleherald.ca/novascotia/1276592-andrew-younger-resigns-from-cabinet|archivedate=27 March 2015}}
In the 2017 election, Samson was defeated by Progressive Conservative candidate Alana Paon.{{cite web|url=http://globalnews.ca/news/3490912/nova-scotia-election-pc-alana-paon-defeats-liberal-michel-samson-in-cape-breton-richmond/|title=Nova Scotia election: PC Alana Paon defeats Liberal Michel Samson in Cape Breton-Richmond|publisher=Global News|date=31 May 2017|accessdate=2017-05-31}}{{cite web|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/high-profile-liberal-cabinet-ministers-samson-bernard-lose-ridings-1.4138834|title=High-profile Liberal cabinet ministers Samson, Bernard lose ridings|publisher=CBC News|date=31 May 2017|accessdate=2017-05-31}}
=Electoral record=
{{Canadian election result/top|NS|2017|percent=yes|change=yes}}
{{CANelec|NS|PC|Alana Paon|3,337|43.57|}}
{{CANelec|NS|Liberal|Michel Samson|3,316|43.30|}}
{{CANelec|NS|NDP|Larry Keating|1,006|13.13|}}
{{Canadian election result/total|Total valid votes|7,659|100.0 }}
{{Canadian election result/total|Total rejected ballots|42|0.54|}}
{{Canadian election result/total|Turnout|7,701|69.92|}}
{{Canadian election result/total|Eligible voters|11,014}}
{{end}}
{{Election box begin | title=2013 Nova Scotia general election}}
|-
{{Canadian party colour|NS|Liberal|row}}
|Michel Samson
|align="right"|4369
|align="right"|56.51
|align="right"|
|-
{{Canadian party colour|NS|PC|row}}
|Joe Janega
|align="right"|1696
|align="right"|21.93
|align="right"|
|-
{{Canadian party colour|NS|NDP|row}}
|Bert Lewis
|align="right"|1667
|align="right"|21.56
|align="right"|
|}
{{Election box begin | title=2009 Nova Scotia general election}}
|-
{{CANelec |NS |Liberal |Michel Samson |3228 |55.31 |+6.76}}
|-
{{Canadian party colour|NS|NDP|row}}
|Clair Rankin
|align="right"|1477
|align="right"|25.31
|align="right"|+15.88
|-
{{Canadian party colour|NS|PC|row}}
|John Greene
|align="right"|1045
|align="right"|17.91
|align="right"|-22.65
|-
{{CANelec|NS|Green|John Percy|86|1.47|-0.1}}
|}
{{Election box begin | title=2006 Nova Scotia general election}}
|-
{{Canadian party colour|NS|Liberal|row}}
|Michel Samson
|align="right"|2722
|align="right"|48.55
|align="right"|
|-
{{Canadian party colour|NS|PC|row}}
|John Greene
|align="right"|2268
|align="right"|40.56
|align="right"|
|-
{{Canadian party colour|NS|NDP|row}}
|Mary Pat Cude
|align="right"|529
|align="right"|9.43
|align="right"|
|-
{{CANelec|NS|Green|Noreen Hartlen|88|1.57|–}}
|}
{{Election box begin | title=2003 Nova Scotia general election}}
|-
{{Canadian party colour|NS|Liberal|row}}
|Michel Samson
|align="right"|3047
|align="right"|51.36
|align="right"|
|-
{{Canadian party colour|NS|PC|row}}
|Richie Cotton
|align="right"|1850
|align="right"|31.18
|align="right"|
|-
{{Canadian party colour|NS|NDP|row}}
|Clair Rankin
|align="right"|1036
|align="right"|17.46
|align="right"|
|}
{{Election box begin | title=1999 Nova Scotia general election}}
|-
{{Canadian party colour|NS|Liberal|row}}
|Michel Samson
|align="right"|3105
|align="right"|
|align="right"|
|-
{{Canadian party colour|NS|PC|row}}
|Joseph MacPhee
|align="right"|1905
|align="right"|
|align="right"|
|-
{{Canadian party colour|NS|NDP|row}}
|Wilma Conrod
|align="right"|1595
|align="right"|
|align="right"|
|}
{{Election box begin | title=1998 Nova Scotia general election}}
|-
{{CANelec |NS |Liberal |Michel Samson |3,105 | |}}
|-
{{Canadian party colour|NS|PC|row}}
|Joseph MacPhee
|align="right"|1,905
|align="right"|
|align="right"|
|-
{{Canadian party colour|NS|NDP|row}}
|Wilma Conrod
|align="right"|1,595
|align="right"|
|align="right"|
|}
See also
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [https://nslegislature.ca/members/profiles/michel-p.-samson/history Members of the Nova Scotia Legislative Assembly]
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20091026105320/http://nsliberalcaucus.ca/team/view/20 Liberal caucus profile]
{{McNeil Ministry}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Samson, Michel}}
Category:Nova Scotia Liberal Party MLAs
Category:Schulich School of Law alumni
Category:Politicians of Acadian descent
Category:Members of the Executive Council of Nova Scotia
Category:People from Richmond County, Nova Scotia
Category:21st-century members of the Nova Scotia House of Assembly
Category:Nova Scotia political party leaders
Category:20th-century members of the Nova Scotia House of Assembly