Diana Whalen
Encyclopedia
Diana Whalen is a politician in Nova Scotia
, Canada
. She has held elected office since 2000 when she won a seat on HRM council representing the Clayton Park West and Rockingham. She has been the MLA
for Halifax Clayton Park
since 2003. She is the chair of the Public Accounts Committee, a member of the Assembly Matters Committee and the Liberal Critic for Health and Health Promotion & Protection.
She graduated from Dalhousie University
in Halifax, Nova Scotia
with a Bachelor of Arts (BA) and a Masters in Business Administration (MBA).
In 1990, Whalen moved back to Halifax to raise her two children after living and working in the Republic of Korea, Australia and Jamaica. Living overseas has helped her appreciate the challenges faced by the many new Canadians in her riding of Clayton Park.. She settled in Clayton Park and became involved in community organizations dedicated to improving services in the fast-growing area. In the late 1990s, she founded a community action group dedicated to seeing a new school built in Clayton Park West and in 2000 Park West School was completed. In 1995, she was part of the planning team for the G-7
Summit which took place in Halifax.
Whalen was a management consultant for 15 years.
In 2004, Whalen's private members bill for mandatory booster seats was passed by the legislature. http://www.gov.ns.ca/legislature/legc/bills/59th_1st/3rd_read/b121.htm Whalen championed the fight to preserve the Blue Mountain-Birch Cove Lakes Wilderness Area, which culminated in the province protecting over 3000 acres of wilderness in the area beside Bayers Lake Business Park (April 2009). The fast growing area needed improved recreation, and she has worked with the people of her riding to lobby HRM and advocate at the provincial level for a world-class recreation centre on the Mainland Common. The opening of the Canada Games Centre (November 2010) is the realization of that effort.
On January 18, 2007, Whalen confirmed after much speculation that she would run for the leadership of the Nova Scotia Liberal Party. She lost on the second ballot of the leadership to Annapolis MLA Stephen McNeil
by 68 votes, despite the support of the two other candidates in the race, Kenzie MacKinnon
and Mike Smith.
In 2009, Whalen was honoured by the Cornwallis Progress Club with a Women of Distinction Award in the category of Public Affairs and Communications for her work in the community. Whalen was re-elected in the 2009 election.
In May 2010, Whalen was embroiled in a controversy when it was alleged that her parliamentary assistant, Doug Boudreau, the son of fomer Nova Scotia Health Minister Bernie Boudreau, used a confidential Liberal party membership list to send out an email questioning the leadership of party leader Stephen McNeil in advance of a leadership review. McNeil subsequently called for an investigation into the improper use of the party membership list. When asked if she had asked Boudreau if he sent the email she said it was not her job. Boudreau also had no comment. Subsequently, Whalen, who lost the leadership to McNeil, did not publicly support McNeil in the leadership review. At the leadership review McNeil received 83% support.
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. She has held elected office since 2000 when she won a seat on HRM council representing the Clayton Park West and Rockingham. She has been the MLA
Member of the Legislative Assembly
A Member of the Legislative Assembly or a Member of the Legislature , is a representative elected by the voters of a constituency to the legislature or legislative assembly of a sub-national jurisdiction....
for Halifax Clayton Park
Halifax Clayton Park
Halifax Clayton Park is a provincial electoral district in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, that elects one member of the Nova Scotia House of Assembly...
since 2003. She is the chair of the Public Accounts Committee, a member of the Assembly Matters Committee and the Liberal Critic for Health and Health Promotion & Protection.
She graduated from Dalhousie University
Dalhousie University
Dalhousie University is a public research university located in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. The university comprises eleven faculties including Schulich School of Law and Dalhousie University Faculty of Medicine. It also includes the faculties of architecture, planning and engineering located at...
in Halifax, Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
with a Bachelor of Arts (BA) and a Masters in Business Administration (MBA).
In 1990, Whalen moved back to Halifax to raise her two children after living and working in the Republic of Korea, Australia and Jamaica. Living overseas has helped her appreciate the challenges faced by the many new Canadians in her riding of Clayton Park.. She settled in Clayton Park and became involved in community organizations dedicated to improving services in the fast-growing area. In the late 1990s, she founded a community action group dedicated to seeing a new school built in Clayton Park West and in 2000 Park West School was completed. In 1995, she was part of the planning team for the G-7
G8
The Group of Eight is a forum, created by France in 1975, for the governments of seven major economies: Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States. In 1997, the group added Russia, thus becoming the G8...
Summit which took place in Halifax.
Whalen was a management consultant for 15 years.
In 2004, Whalen's private members bill for mandatory booster seats was passed by the legislature. http://www.gov.ns.ca/legislature/legc/bills/59th_1st/3rd_read/b121.htm Whalen championed the fight to preserve the Blue Mountain-Birch Cove Lakes Wilderness Area, which culminated in the province protecting over 3000 acres of wilderness in the area beside Bayers Lake Business Park (April 2009). The fast growing area needed improved recreation, and she has worked with the people of her riding to lobby HRM and advocate at the provincial level for a world-class recreation centre on the Mainland Common. The opening of the Canada Games Centre (November 2010) is the realization of that effort.
On January 18, 2007, Whalen confirmed after much speculation that she would run for the leadership of the Nova Scotia Liberal Party. She lost on the second ballot of the leadership to Annapolis MLA Stephen McNeil
Stephen McNeil
Stephen McNeil is a Nova Scotian politician representing the riding of Annapolis in the Nova Scotia House of Assembly and is the leader of the Nova Scotia Liberal Party....
by 68 votes, despite the support of the two other candidates in the race, Kenzie MacKinnon
Kenzie MacKinnon
Kenzie MacKinnon is a lawyer based in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.MacKinnon has three times been a candidate for elected office. He ran for the Canadian House of Commons in the 1984 election in the riding of Cape Breton Highlands—Canso and twice for the Nova Scotia House of Assembly in the riding...
and Mike Smith.
In 2009, Whalen was honoured by the Cornwallis Progress Club with a Women of Distinction Award in the category of Public Affairs and Communications for her work in the community. Whalen was re-elected in the 2009 election.
In May 2010, Whalen was embroiled in a controversy when it was alleged that her parliamentary assistant, Doug Boudreau, the son of fomer Nova Scotia Health Minister Bernie Boudreau, used a confidential Liberal party membership list to send out an email questioning the leadership of party leader Stephen McNeil in advance of a leadership review. McNeil subsequently called for an investigation into the improper use of the party membership list. When asked if she had asked Boudreau if he sent the email she said it was not her job. Boudreau also had no comment. Subsequently, Whalen, who lost the leadership to McNeil, did not publicly support McNeil in the leadership review. At the leadership review McNeil received 83% support.