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'Rodney Joseph MacDonald', MLA (born January 2, 1972) is an educator and politician and the current Premier of Nova Scotia, Canada.

Contents

Background

Music career

Political career

External links

Background

MacDonald is a graduate of St. Francis Xavier University and received a Bachelor of Science in Physical Education while continuing to build a career as a professional musician. MacDonald has taught for the Strait Regional School Board, the Mi'kmawey school at Chapel Island, and pursued a Masters in Education.
In 1994, he married Lori-Ann Gillis, they have one son, Ryan, 9. Amidst never-denied rumours of his infidelity, they separated in August 2006, but have since reconciled.

Music career

MacDonald is an accomplished musician and has toured his fiddle music throughout Atlantic Canada, Central Canada and the northeastern United States. He is also an accomplished step dancer; he began dancing at age four after learning the skill from his parents. MacDonald's first public performance was reportedly at age eight at the Mayflower Shopping Mall in Sydney and he began taking fiddle lessons from his uncle, Kinnon Beaton, at age 12. MacDonald has recorded two albums - ''Dancer's Delight'' (1996) and ''Traditionally Rockin' (1997, with his cousin Glenn Graham) and he was also included on the 2004 Smithsonian release ''The Beaton Family of Mabou: Cape Breton Fiddle and Piano Music''. In 1998 he received two nominations for the East Coast Music Awards. He was also vice-president of GlennRod Music Incorporated.

Political career

MacDonald has served in the Legislative Assembly of Nova Scotia since the 1999 provincial election, representing the riding of Inverness in western Cape Breton Island. He was re-elected in 2003 and has served in cabinet with various portfolios as Minister of Tourism, Culture & Heritage, Minister of Health Promotion and Minister of Immigration, he has also been responsible for the Heritage Property Act and was formerly responsible for the Nova Scotia Liquor Corporation and the Nova Scotia Youth Secretariat.
Following Premier John Hamm's fall 2005 announcement of his intention to retire, MacDonald committed to running for the leadership of the Nova Scotia Progressive Conservative Party. The leadership race culminated in MacDonald winning the party's leadership convention on a second ballot on February 11, 2006. He was sworn in as Premier of Nova Scotia on February 24, taking over the leadership from outgoing Premier John Hamm. MacDonald is the second youngest premier in Nova Scotia's history, and is currently the second youngest premier in Canada.
MacDonald's Progressive Conservative Party won a minority government in the