Longtime Nova Scotia MP Elmer MacKay, who held several cabinet portfolios under prime ministers Joe Clark and Brian Mulroney, has died at 89.
His son Peter MacKay, who also represented Central Nova and served as a federal cabinet minister, wrote in a post on X that “our beloved father Elmer was called home.”
“His was an extraordinary life, collecting legions of friends leaving a legacy of hard work & public service,” the post goes on to say.
“He loved the forest, poetry, sport, law & good debate, the Yankees & especially his family. Deeply missed & alive in our hearts. Sleep well Pop, you earned your rest.”
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Elmer MacKay became MP for the riding of Central Nova in 1971 after winning a byelection. He held the seat until 1983, when he resigned so that newly-elected PC leader Brian Mulroney could run in a by-election and enter Parliament.
MacKay ran in the 1984 election, where the PCs formed a majority government, and won the Central Nova seat again. He stepped down as a cabinet minister in 1993 and did not seek re-election in the upcoming election.
Throughout his political career, he held portfolios including solicitor general of Canada, minister of National Revenue, minister for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency and minister of Public Works.
In a statement on social media, Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston called MacKay “one of Pictou County’s greatest representatives” and said MacKay “never lost sight of his Pictou County roots.”
Houston is PC MLA for Pictou East.
“Elmer kept his name and number in the phone book so you could always get ahold of him. Over the years, our MLA offices would often hear from Elmer if he was talking to a person he thought we might be able to help,” Houston wrote.
“He was a great person who was always eager to help people.”
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