John MacDonell (political strategist)

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John Edward MacDonell, LL.B. (born September 29, 1966) is Past President of the Progressive Conservative Association of Nova Scotia. He is the son of the late Dr. John MacDonell and Mrs. Antonia (Toni) MacDonell.

After graduating from Dr. John Hugh Gillis Regional School, MacDonell earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of King's College in Halifax in 1988, and a Bachelor of Laws degree from Dalhousie University in 1994. While at Dalhousie Law School, he received awards for excellence in Constitutional Law and Insurance Law, along with the Dickson Medal for Distinguished Advocacy at the 1994 Gale Cup Moot Competition.

MacDonell articled with the Halifax office of Stewart McKelvey Stirling Scales, Atlantic Canada's first and largest regional law firm. He became an associate lawyer upon his admission to the Nova Scotia Bar in 1995, and went on to become a partner in Stewart McKelvey on January 1, 2001.

As a part-time faculty member at Dalhousie Law School, MacDonell taught courses in Civil Trial Practice (2001) and Commercial Law (2002), and has also lectured in Insurance Law and Constitutional Law. He is a former Chair of the Construction Law Section of the Canadian Bar Association’s Nova Scotia Branch (2001–2003).

From 2000–2004, MacDonell was a member of the Board of Directors of Phoenix Youth Programs, a non-profit, voluntary agency providing care and services to at-risk and homeless youth. He continues to be a trustee of the Phoenix Youth Programs Charitable Foundation. MacDonell has been commended by the Nova Scotia Court of Appeal for providing legal services on a pro bono basis.

MacDonell's involvement in politics started when he worked on the Progressive Conservative campaign in the constituency of Antigonish during the 1981 provincial election. Since then, he has served the Party both provincially and federally in many different volunteer roles, including the following:

  • High Schools Director, Nova Scotia PC Youth Association (1983–1986)
  • Executive Secretary (interim), Progressive Conservative Youth Federation (1989)
  • Chair, Constitution Committee, PC Party of Nova Scotia (1994–2003)
  • Member, Restructuring Committee, PC Party of Canada (1994–1995)
  • Vice President (Nova Scotia), PC Party of Canada (1995–1999)
  • Campaign Chair (Nova Scotia), PC Party of Canada (1997)
  • PC Campaign Manager, Cole Harbour - Eastern Passage (1999)
  • Executive Vice President, PC Party of Nova Scotia (2000–2004)
  • Member, Interim Joint Council, Conservative Party of Canada (2003–2005)
  • Member, Montreal Convention Committee, Conservative Party of Canada (2005)
  • Chair, Arbitration Committee, Conservative Party of Canada (2005 – present)
  • President, Progressive Conservative Association of Nova Scotia (2004 – 2006)

In February 2006, MacDonell took a leave of absence from his position at Stewart McKelvey Stirling Scales and resigned his position as President of the Progressive Conservative Association of Nova Scotia to become Peter MacKay's Chief of Staff.

John MacDonell lives and works in Halifax, Nova Scotia.