Terry Donahoe
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Terence Richard Boyd Donahoe (October 30, 1944 – November 30, 2005) was a former Nova Scotia opposition leader, cabinet minister, and MLA.
Donahoe was born in Halifax on Oct. 30, 1944, and came from a prominent political family. His father Richard was Mayor of Halifax and later served in provincial cabinet as Minister of Public Health and Welfare and Attorney-General between 1956 and 1970 and was a Senator from 1979 to 1984v[1]. Terry's older brother Art was also a legislative member and served as Deputy Speaker from 1978 to 1981 and then Speaker of the House from 1981 until 1991, before becoming Secretary General of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association.
Donahoe was educated at St. Mary's High School in Halifax, after which he went to Saint Mary's University. He graduated in 1964 and then attended Dalhousie Law School. After completing his law degree, he joined the Halifax law firm of Blois, Nickerson, Palmeter and Bryson in 1967.
He was elected to the provincial legislature in 1978 as a Progressive Conservative, serving for 19 years. He represented Halifax Cornwallis from 1978 to 1993, then Halifax Citadel (succeeding his brother Art) until his retirement in 1997 when he did not stand for re-election.
In Cabinet, he served in several posts, including as minister of education, attorney general (which his father had previously held), chair of the policy board and chair of the management board. He held the education portfolio for eight years. In that ministry, he was a strong supporter of the public education system, pushing for more money for schools and championing new programs. He also amalgamated the several hundred school boards into just under thirty, and introduced the first Acadian school board.
When Premier Donald William Cameron stepped down on election night after the Conservatives' were defeated in 1993, Donahoe was named interim leader of the Progressive Conservatives and leader of the official opposition. In this capacity, he was credited with providing direction and holding together a demoralized caucus in disarray. He served for two years before being succeeded by John Hamm who later led the party to power in the 1999 provincial election.
In the 1997 federal election, he challenged incumbent Liberal Mary Clancy for a seat in the House of Commons. New Democratic Party leader Alexa McDonough emerged as the winner in the three-way race.
In 2001, Donahoe received an Honorary Doctor of Laws from Saint Mary's University.
Donahoe died of cancer on November 30, 2005, at the age of 61. He left behind his wife Lynne and his daughter Moira Schrader, brother, Arthur; and sisters Cathleen, Sheila, Nora and Ellen.
