Jeremy Akerman
| Jeremy Bernard Akerman | |
|---|---|
| Leader of the Nova Scotia New Democratic Party |
|
|
In office 1968–1980 |
|
| Preceded by | James H. Aitchison |
| Succeeded by | James 'Buddy' MacEachern |
| Constituency | Nova Scotia |
| MLA for Cape Breton East | |
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In office 1970–1980 |
|
| Preceded by | Layton Fergusson |
| Succeeded by | Donnie MacLeod |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
May 28, 1942 Alvechurch, England |
| Political party |
New Democratic Party Nova Scotia Liberal Party |
| Occupation | writer, actor |
Jeremy Bernard Akerman (born May 28, 1942) is a former Canadian politician, writer and actor and a former leader of the Nova Scotia New Democratic Party.
Akerman was born in Alvechurch, Worcesteshire, United Kingdom. He was attracted to politics in his teens, being drawn to the Labour Party by the famous miners' leader Anuerin Bevan. He attended Marshfield Primary School in Castelton, Bassaleg Grammar School and Cardiff College of Art, all in South Wales where he studied painting, drawing and sculpture. While he was in high school and college, Akerman became very active in archaeology, having participated in a dozen excavations in different parts of the principality.
In 1964 Akerman was invited by the Canadian government to take the position of head of Archaeological Illustration at the Fortress of Louisbourg Restoration Project in Nova Scotia. While in Cape Breton He helped to organize fishermen in the Louisbourg area into an organization that eventually affiliated with the United Fishermen and Allied Workers' Union.
In 1967 he was the New Democratic Party candidate in Cape Breton West but came third. Later that year he became a reporter, news reader and talk show host at CHER Radio in Sydney but was fired for attempting to unionize the staff. For this he was made a life member of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees.
In 1968 Akerman ran as the NDP federal candidate in Cape Breton East Richmond, but again came third. Later than year he ran for the leadership of the provincial NDP and won by four votes over Professor Keith Jobson. Two years later, Akerman was elected to the legislature for the riding of Cape Breton East (Glace Bay). He was re-elected in 1974 and 1978. In 1980 he resigned both his seat and the party leadership to become head of Intergovernmental Affairs for Nova Scotia in the government of premier John M. Buchanan. Subsequently, he was appointed Executive Director and Secretary to the cabinet's Policy Board. He also held the positions Special Adviser to the Minister of the Environment and Manager of the Film Development Fund. In 1990, he was dismissed by the incoming premier Donald Cameron.In the 1980s, Akerman had also become active in community theatre, directing and/or appearing over 30productions, and was president of the Nova Scotia Drama League and Theatre Arts Guild.
After he left the government in 1990, Akerman became editor of the Metro Weekly newspaper and turned his hand to film acting. The newspaper closed its doors after a few years, but Akerman's film career continued. As of January 2014, he has worked on 128 film shoots, 119 of them in leading, supporting or principal roles. He was acted with a long list of stars including Harrison Ford, Hilary Swank, Tom Selleck, Sissy Spacek, and Liam Neeson.
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