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Michael Baker (politician)

The Honourable
Michael Baker
ONS QC
Member of the Nova Scotia House of Assembly
for Lunenburg
In office
March 24, 1998 – March 2, 2009
Preceded by Lila O'Connor
Succeeded by Pam Birdsall
Minister of Finance
In office
February 23, 2006 – February 22, 2009
Premier Rodney MacDonald
Preceded by Peter G. Christie
Succeeded by Chris d'Entremont
Minister of Justice and
Attorney General of Nova Scotia
In office
August 16, 1999 – February 23, 2006
Premier John Hamm
Preceded by Robbie Harrison
Succeeded by Murray Scott
Personal details
Born (1957-01-28)January 28, 1957
Lunenburg, Nova Scotia
Died March 2, 2009(2009-03-02) (aged 52)
Lunenburg, Nova Scotia
Political party Progressive Conservative
Occupation lawyer

Michael Gilbert Baker ONS QC (January 28, 1957 – March 2, 2009) was a Canadian politician. He represented the electoral district of Lunenburg in the Nova Scotia House of Assembly between 1998 and 2009. He was a Progressive Conservative.

Born in 1957 at Lunenburg, Nova Scotia, Baker was a graduate of Dalhousie Law School. He practiced law at Hennigar, Wells, Lamey & Baker in Mahone Bay and Chester and as a solicitor for the Town of Mahone Bay. He was past president of Lunenburg County Barristers Association, member of Nova Scotia Barristers Society Council, and Director of Marine Atlantic. Baker was appointed Queen's Counsel in 1999.

Baker entered provincial politics in 1998, defeating Liberal incumbent Lila O'Connor by 132 votes in the Lunenburg riding. In the 1999 election, Baker was re-elected, defeating O'Connor by over 2200 votes. In August 1999, Baker was appointed to the Executive Council of Nova Scotia as Minister of Justice and Attorney General. In December 2001, Baker was given an additional role in cabinet as Chair of Treasury and Policy Board. In a December 2002 cabinet shuffle, Baker was moved to Minister of Transportation and Public Works. He was re-elected in the 2003 election, and was re-appointed as Minister of Justice and Attorney General, retained Chair of Treasury and Policy Board, and given a new role as Minister of Aboriginal Affairs in a post-election cabinet shuffle.

When Rodney MacDonald took over as premier in February 2006, Baker was named Minister of Finance, and Minister of Aboriginal Affairs. In May 2006, Baker underwent surgery to remove a cancerous tumor, but still ran for re-election in June 2006, winning his seat by 1300 votes. Following the election, Baker retained his cabinet positions, and continued to serve despite facing more serious health issues. As of January 2009, Baker was still planning on reoffering in the next election, but his condition worsened and he stepped down from cabinet in February. Baker died of cancer on March 2, 2009, at his home in Lunenburg. He was 52.


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