Diana Caroline Whalen (born November 20, 1956) is a Canadian politician, who represented the electoral district of Halifax Clayton Park in the Nova Scotia House of Assembly from 2003-2013, and Clayton Park West from 2013-2017, as a member of the Nova Scotia Liberal Party.
Diana Whalen | |
|---|---|
 The Honourable Diana Whalen, MLA | |
| Member of the Nova Scotia House of Assembly for Clayton Park West Halifax Clayton Park (2003-2013) | |
| In office August 5, 2003 – May 30, 2017 | |
| Preceded by | Mary Ann McGrath[1] |
| Succeeded by | Rafah DiCostanzo |
| Deputy Premier of Nova Scotia | |
| In office October 22, 2013 – May 30, 2017 | |
| Premier | Stephen McNeil |
| Preceded by | Frank Corbett |
| Succeeded by | Karen Casey |
| Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Nova Scotia and Provincial Secretary of Nova Scotia | |
| In office July 24, 2015 – May 30, 2017 | |
| Premier | Stephen McNeil |
| Preceded by | Lena Diab |
| Succeeded by | Mark Furey |
| Minister of Finance | |
| In office October 22, 2013 – July 24, 2015 | |
| Premier | Stephen McNeil |
| Preceded by | Maureen MacDonald |
| Succeeded by | Randy Delorey |
| Personal details | |
| Born | November 20, 1956[2][3] Bay Shore, New York, U.S. |
| Political party | Nova Scotia Liberal Party |
| Residence | Halifax, Nova Scotia |
| Occupation | accountant |
Early life and education
editWhalen was born in Bay Shore, New York.[4] She graduated with a BA and MBA from Dalhousie University.
Before politics
editWhalen worked in South Korea, Australia and Jamaica from 1980 to 1988 before returning to Halifax to raise her family. Holding the designation Certified Management Accountant (CMA), Whalen worked as a management consultant for 15 years.
Whalen was part of the planning team for the 21st G7 summit which took place in Halifax from June 15–17, 1995. In the late 1990s, Whalen founded a community action group dedicated to seeing a new P-9 school built in her fast-growing neighbourhood of Clayton Park West.
Political career
editWhalen was elected to Halifax Regional Council in the 2000 municipal election, representing District 16 Prince's Lodge-Clayton Park West.[5]
In 2003 Whalen successfully ran for the Nova Scotia Liberal Party nomination in the riding of Halifax Clayton Park. She was elected in the 2003 provincial election and was subsequently re-elected in the 2006, 2009 and 2013 provincial elections.
In 2004, Whalen's private members bill for mandatory booster seats was passed by the legislature.[6] Whalen championed the fight to preserve the Blue Mountain-Birch Cove Lakes Wilderness Area, which culminated in April 2009 when the provincial government granted protection from development for 1,214 hectares (3,000 acres) of wilderness in the area beside Bayers Lake Business Park. Whalen worked with constituents in her riding to lobby both the Halifax Regional Municipality and the provincial government for improved recreational infrastructure. This resulted in construction of the Canada Games Centre which opened on the Mainland Common in November 2010.
On January 18, 2007, Whalen confirmed after much speculation that she would run for the leadership of the Nova Scotia Liberal Party.[3] She lost on the second ballot of the leadership to Stephen McNeil by 68 votes, despite the support of the two other candidates in the race, Kenzie MacKinnon and Mike Smith.[7]
On October 22, 2013 Whalen was appointed to the Executive Council of Nova Scotia by McNeil, as Deputy Premier and Minister of Finance.[8]
Whalen has been an advocate for a provincial February holiday since 2005 when she first introduced the Joseph Howe Day Act in the legislature. Whalen has been persistent in pointing out that the province has only five statutory holidays and has fallen further behind other provinces which have enacted a February holiday.[9]
In April 2015, Whalen announced a cut to the Nova Scotia Film Tax Credit program.[10] A controversial decision that was widely debated and protested.[11] Several production studios and film productions in Halifax have cited this credit cut as the reason they've left or may have to leave Nova Scotia.[12][13]
On July 24, 2015, McNeil shuffled his cabinet, moving Whalen to Minister of Justice.[14][15]
On March 24, 2017, Whalen announced she will not run in the 2017 Nova Scotia general election.[16][17]
Honours
editIn 2009, Whalen was honoured by the Cornwallis Progress Club with a Women of Distinction Award in the category of Public Affairs and Communications for her work in the community.
Electoral record
edit| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Liberal | Diana Whalen | 5,569 | 67.48 | N/A | |
| New Democratic Party | Blake Wright | 1,448 | 17.55 | N/A | |
| Progressive Conservative | Jaime D. Allen | 1,236 | 14.98 | N/A | |
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Liberal | Diana Whalen | 5,030 | 49.02 | ||
| New Democratic Party | Linda Power | 3,924 | 38.24 | ||
| Progressive Conservative | Debbie Hum | 1,084 | 10.56 | ||
| Green | Amanda Hester | 172 | 1.68 | – | |
| Independent | Jonathan Dean | 51 | 0.50 | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Liberal | Diana Whalen | 3,404 | 37.32 | ||
| New Democratic Party | Linda Power | 3,040 | 33.33 | ||
| Progressive Conservative | Mary Ann McGrath | 2,450 | 26.86 | ||
| Green | Sheila Richardson | 228 | 2.5 | – | |
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Liberal | Diana Whalen | 3,329 | 37.71 | ||
| Progressive Conservative | Mary Ann McGrath | 3,034 | 34.52 | ||
| New Democratic Party | Roberta Morrison | 2,312 | 26.14 | ||
| Independent | Greg Lavern | 152 | 1.72 | ||
2000 municipal elections of the Halifax Regional Municipality
edit| Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Diana Whalen | 1,812 | 34.94% | ||
| Bill Stone | 1,745 | 33.65% | ||
| Debbie Hum | 1,607 | 30.99% | ||
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Halifax Bedford Basin
- ^ Diana Whalen on Twitter: Had a terrific birthday today! Lunch at Opa and attended the Lebanese Independence day celebration at Diman Centre tonight! Twitter
- ^ a b "Whalen launches Grit leadership bid". CBC News. January 18, 2007. Retrieved 2015-05-16.
- ^ 62nd General Assembly Nova Scotia Legislature
- ^ "Veterans Downey, Schofield lose seats". The Chronicle Herald. October 22, 2000. Archived from the original on November 9, 2000. Retrieved 2017-02-28.
- ^ NS Legislature
- ^ "McNeil new N.S. Liberal leader". CBC News. April 28, 2007. Retrieved 2015-05-16.
- ^ "Premier Stephen McNeil welcomes 16-member cabinet". CBC. October 22, 2013. Retrieved 2013-10-22.
- ^ "N.S. MLA renews call for February holiday, again". CBC News. February 7, 2013. Retrieved 2015-05-16.
- ^ "Nova Scotia's film industry 'reeling' after tax credit cut". The Chronicle Herald. April 10, 2015. Archived from the original on April 14, 2015. Retrieved 2023-11-04.
- ^ "Nova Scotia film tax credit supporters rally at Province House". CBC News. April 15, 2015. Retrieved 2015-05-16.
- ^ "DHX Media head criticizes tax credit cut in Nova Scotia budget". CBC News. April 10, 2015. Retrieved 2015-05-16.
- ^ "Jesse Stone producer says verdict pending on Nova Scotia film incentive". CBC News. May 8, 2015. Retrieved 2015-05-16.
- ^ "Andrew Younger sworn back in to cabinet after shuffle". CBC News. July 24, 2015. Retrieved 2015-07-24.
- ^ "Cabinet shuffle: Whalen out as finance minister, Younger back in". The Chronicle Herald. July 24, 2015. Archived from the original on July 25, 2015. Retrieved 2015-07-24.
- ^ "Justice Minister Diana Whalen says she will not run in next election". CBC News. March 24, 2017. Retrieved March 24, 2017.
- ^ "Health issues keep Deputy Premier Diana Whalen on sidelines for next election". The Chronicle Herald. March 24, 2017. Archived from the original on March 25, 2017. Retrieved March 24, 2017.