Cecil Clarke

Cecil Phillip Clarke (born April 12, 1968) is a politician in Nova Scotia, Canada. He was the mayor of the Cape Breton Regional Municipality from 2012 to 2020, and represented the riding of Cape Breton North in the Nova Scotia House of Assembly, from 2001 to 2011 as a Progressive Conservative.

For the soldier and inventor, see Cecil Vandepeer Clarke. For the physician and Pan-Africanist, see Cecil Belfield Clarke.
The Honourable
Cecil Clarke
Speaker of the Nova Scotia House of Assembly
In office
June 29, 2006 – October 23, 2007
PremierRodney MacDonald
Lieutenant GovernorMyra Freeman
Mayann Francis
Preceded byMurray Scott
Succeeded byAlfie MacLeod
Member of the Nova Scotia House of Assembly
for Cape Breton North
In office
March 6, 2001 – March 25, 2011
Preceded byRussell MacLellan
Succeeded byEddie Orrell
Mayor of Cape Breton Regional Municipality
In office
November 5, 2012 – October 17, 2020
Preceded byJohn W. Morgan
Succeeded byAmanda McDougall
Minister of Justice and
Attorney General of Nova Scotia and Provincial Secretary of Nova Scotia
In office
September 23, 2007 – June 19, 2009
Preceded byMurray Scott
Succeeded byRoss Landry
Personal details
Born
Cecil Phillip Clarke

(1968-04-12) April 12, 1968
North Sydney, Nova Scotia, Canada
Political partyProgressive Conservative
Residence(s)Sydney Mines, Nova Scotia, Canada

Before politics

Born in North Sydney, Nova Scotia, Clarke graduated with a bachelor's degree from Mount Allison University in 1990.

Political career

In the 1997 federal election, Clarke made his first attempt at entering politics, running as the Progressive Conservative candidate in Sydney—Victoria.[1] He finished third behind New Democrat Peter Mancini, and Liberal Vince MacLean.[2] Clarke turned to provincial politics and was elected in a March 2001 byelection.[3][4] He was re-elected in the 2003,[5] 2006[6] and 2009 general elections.[7] He served in the Executive Council of Nova Scotia as Minister of Economic Development, Minister of Energy,[8] Attorney General and Minister of Justice as well as Provincial Secretary.[9] Clarke was Speaker of the House of Assembly of Nova Scotia from June 2006 to October 2007.

In July 2010, Clarke announced that he was seeking the federal Conservative nomination for the riding of Sydney—Victoria.[10] On March 25, 2011, Clarke resigned his seat in the Nova Scotia legislature so he could run for the Conservatives in the 2011 federal election.[11][12] On May 2, 2011, Clarke was defeated in his bid for a seat in the House of Commons of Canada by Liberal incumbent Mark Eyking.[13]

On September 6, 2012, Clarke announced that he was entering the race for mayor of the Cape Breton Regional Municipality in the 2012 Nova Scotia municipal elections.[14] On October 20, 2012, Clarke was elected mayor.[15] He assumed office on November 5, 2012.[16]

Clarke was re-elected mayor in the 2016 municipal election.[17]

Clarke was criticized in early 2018 for a trip to China which cost taxpayers over $30,000 and included first-class tickets for himself.[18]

In 2018, Clarke came out as gay, revealing that someone had threatened to out him.[19]

On February 3, 2018, Clarke announced his candidacy for the leadership of the Progressive Conservative Party of Nova Scotia.[20] He lost to Tim Houston on October 27, 2018.[21] He left office as mayor in 2020.

Electoral record
2011 Canadian federal election: Sydney—Victoria
Party Candidate Votes%±%Expenditures
LiberalMark Eyking14,78839.91-9.49$67,454.53
ConservativeCecil Clarke14,02337.85+17.23$77,334.98
New DemocraticKathy MacLeod7,04919.02-5.42$17,238.77
GreenChris Milburn1,1913.21-2.33$0.00
Total valid votes/expense limit 37,051100.0   $80,666.28
Total rejected, unmarked and declined ballots 2790.75+0.03
Turnout 37,33061.48+4.07
Eligible voters 60,719
Liberal hold Swing -13.36
Sources:[22][23]
2009 Nova Scotia general election
Party Candidate Votes%±%
Progressive ConservativeCecil Clarke3,47744.47-6.24
New DemocraticRussell MacDonald3,31242.36+16.53
LiberalKen Jardine92111.78-10.21
GreenChris Milburn1081.38-0.09
Total valid votes 7,81899.42–
Total rejected ballots 0.58–
Turnout 7,86454.62-6.05
Eligible voters 14,397
Progressive Conservative hold Swing -11.39
Source: Elections Nova Scotia[24]
2006 Nova Scotia general election
Party Candidate Votes%±%
Progressive ConservativeCecil Clarke4,31050.71+7.25
New DemocraticRussell MacDonald2,19525.83+5.98
LiberalFred Tilley1,86921.99-14.70
GreenMarc Doucet1251.47+1.47
Total valid votes 8,49999.53–
Total rejected ballots 400.47–
Turnout 8,53960.67-4.88
Eligible voters 14,075
Progressive Conservative hold Swing +6.61
Source: Elections Nova Scotia[24]
2003 Nova Scotia general election
Party Candidate Votes%±%
Progressive ConservativeCecil Clarke3,75443.46+5.24
LiberalMike White3,16936.69+4.21
New DemocraticCecil Snow1,71419.85-9.45
Total valid votes 8,63799.15–
Total rejected ballots 0.85–
Turnout 8,71165.55-2.39
Eligible voters 13,288
Progressive Conservative hold Swing +4.73
Source: Elections Nova Scotia[24]
Nova Scotia provincial by-election, March 6, 2001
upon the resignation of Russell MacLellan
Party Candidate Votes%±%
Progressive ConservativeCecil Clarke3,02438.22+16.74
LiberalWes Stubbert2,57032.48-16.21
New DemocraticHelen MacDonald2,31929.30-0.53
Total valid votes 7,91399.48–
Total rejected ballots 410.52–
Turnout 7,95467.94-5.63
Eligible voters 11,708
Progressive Conservative gain from Liberal Swing +16.48
Source: Elections Nova Scotia[25]
1997 Canadian federal election: Sydney—Victoria
Party Candidate Votes%
New DemocraticPeter Mancini22,45551.1
LiberalVince MacLean11,56926.3
Progressive ConservativeCecil Clarke9,92022.6
Total valid votes 43,944 100.0

References
  1. "Sydney-Victoria PCs nominate consultant". The Chronicle Herald. May 2, 1997. Archived from the original on December 19, 2000. Retrieved 2014-10-12.
  2. "Mancini promises to fight for jobs". The Chronicle Herald. June 3, 1997. Archived from the original on November 30, 2001. Retrieved 2014-10-12.
  3. "Tories win Cape Breton North". CBC News. March 7, 2001. Retrieved 2023-09-27.
  4. "By-election Returns, 2001 (Cape Breton North)" (PDF). Elections Nova Scotia. Retrieved 2014-10-12.
  5. "Election Returns, 2003 (Cape Breton North)" (PDF). Elections Nova Scotia. Retrieved 2014-10-12.
  6. "Election Returns, 2006 (Cape Breton North)" (PDF). Elections Nova Scotia. Retrieved 2014-10-12.
  7. "Election Returns, 2009 (Cape Breton North)" (PDF). Elections Nova Scotia. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2014-10-18. Retrieved 2014-10-12.
  8. "New faces, new jobs among 15 in cabinet". The Chronicle Herald. August 16, 2003. Archived from the original on January 24, 2005. Retrieved 2014-09-26.
  9. "Cabinet shuffle see Clarke become attorney general and justice minister". Cape Breton Post. October 23, 2007. Archived from the original on October 12, 2014. Retrieved 2014-10-12.
  10. "MLA Clarke eyes federal seat". CBC News. July 29, 2010. Retrieved 2014-10-12.
  11. "MLA Clarke resigns to run federally". CBC News. March 25, 2011. Retrieved 2018-04-23.
  12. "Clarke to carry Tory hopes". The Chronicle Herald. March 28, 2011.
  13. "Eyking wins Sydney-Victoria seat in close race against Clarke". Cape Breton Post. May 2, 2011. Archived from the original on January 18, 2013. Retrieved 2014-10-12.
  14. "Former MLA runs for Cape Breton mayor's seat". CBC News. September 6, 2012. Retrieved 2018-04-23.
  15. "Cecil Clarke wins mayoral bid in Cape Breton". CBC News. October 20, 2012. Retrieved 2018-04-23.
  16. "Clarke and new CBRM council sworn in". Cape Breton Post. November 5, 2012. Archived from the original on January 2, 2013. Retrieved 2014-10-12.
  17. "Clarke wins tight race". Cape Breton Post. October 15, 2016. Archived from the original on October 19, 2016. Retrieved 2016-10-16.
  18. "Cost of CBRM mayor's trip to China under the microscope". Atlantic. 2018-01-10. Retrieved 2018-07-29.
  19. "'I'm a public person with a very private life,' says Cecil Clarke, announcing he's gay". CBC News. February 1, 2018. Retrieved 2018-02-03.
  20. "Cecil Clarke becomes 3rd candidate to enter PC leadership race". CBC News. February 3, 2018. Retrieved 2018-02-03.
  21. "Houston surges to victory in PC leadership race". CBC News. October 27, 2018. Retrieved 2019-02-20.
  22. "OVR / ROS". www.elections.ca.
  23. Canada, Elections. "Search for Returns". www.elections.ca.
  24. "Summary Results of Nova Scotia Elections, 1867 - 2017" (PDF). Elections Nova Scotia. June 4, 2018. Retrieved August 2, 2019.
  25. "Complete Results and Statistics, Cape Breton North and Halifax Fairview by-elections, March 6, 2001" (PDF). Elections Nova Scotia. Retrieved August 2, 2019.
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