Billy Joe MacLean, long-serving mayor and former N.S. cabinet minister, dies at 88

Adam Cooke · CBC News

· Posted: Apr 23, 2025 3:01 PM EDT | Last Updated: 8 hours ago

Billy Joe MacLean, 1 of Nova Scotia's astir colourful governmental characters whose decades-long career included a memorable stint successful the provincial furniture successful the aboriginal 1980s, has died. He was 88.

MacLean died successful the aboriginal hours of Wednesday astatine the Cape Breton Regional Hospital from a radical A streptococcus infection, said household members.

The longtime proprietor of the Port Hawkesbury barroom The Carriage House — formerly Billy Joe's Place — first ran for municipal authorities successful 1970, securing a spot connected Port Hawkesbury town council.

Three years later, helium challenged incumbent Art Langley for the mayor's occupation and began an eight-year tally successful that post. 

He returned to section authorities successful 1994, defeating incumbent politician Almon Chisholm for the archetypal of 5 consecutive predetermination victories, including 2 by acclamation. He retired from municipal authorities successful 2016.

Provincial furniture duties mired successful controversy

MacLean entered provincial authorities successful 1981, winning the riding of Inverness South for the Progressive Conservatives. Then premier John Buchanan gave MacLean the station of curate of tourism and culture, a presumption helium retained aft retaining Inverness South successful the 1984 election.

In 1986, MacLean was charged with — and aboriginal convicted of — expense relationship fraud, starring to his expulsion from the provincial legislature. Among those voting successful favour of the expulsion were MacLean's brother, Inverness North MLA Dr. Jim MacLean, and Buchanan himself, who is said to person shed tears arsenic MacLean's expulsion was complete. 

However, successful 1987, MacLean ran arsenic an Independent campaigner for the byelection called to regenerate him, winning backmost Inverness South and returning to the legislature. He remained determination until the 1988 wide election, erstwhile helium came successful 2nd to Liberal campaigner Danny Graham. 

Questioned astir the nonaccomplishment by CBC News astatine his Reeves Street bar, MacLean retorted, "I'm conscionable blessed [then Liberal leader] Vince MacLean is not the premier of this state close now," earning raucous applause from his supporters. 

A return to the mayor's chair

In 1993, MacLean made respective attempts to unafraid the national PC information for Cape Breton Highlands-Canso, but was rebuffed by Prime Minister Kim Campbell, who refused to motion his information papers. 

He yet withdrew from the contention soon aft the Stora Enso pulp and insubstantial mill successful adjacent Point Tupper announced it was successful information of closing, suggesting that the mill "is our lifeblood" and would not beryllium good served by the distraction of a section governmental squabble. 

The national PCs were reduced to 2 seats successful that fall's election, with Campbell losing her ain bid for re-election. MacLean returned to the Port Hawkesbury mayor's seat little than a twelvemonth later. He served a combined 32 years arsenic the town's mayor.

MacLean credited for infrastructure 

MacLean's supporters and successors consciousness helium has near his people connected Port Hawkesbury. The town's 20-year-old Civic Centre has a plaque dedicated to MacLean successful the Believer's Hall that leads to the Shannon Studio, wherever MacLean presided implicit dozens of assembly meetings. 

Others mention MacLean's thrust to find a caller proprietor for the Point Tupper mill soon aft past proprietor NewPage Corporation enactment the installation successful hot-idle mode and past announced its bankruptcy successful the summertime of 2011. 

B.C.-based Stern Partners rebranded the mill with the sanction Port Hawkesbury Paper successful 2012.