Brian Skabar (born February 25, 1952) is a
Canadian
Canadians () are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of their being ''C ...
politician, who represented the riding of
Cumberland North
Cumberland North is a provincial electoral district in Nova Scotia, Canada, that elects one member of the Nova Scotia House of Assembly. Prior to 1993, it was part of Cumberland East.
The communities of Amherst and Pugwash are within its boun ...
for the
New Democratic Party
The New Democratic Party (NDP; , ) is a federal political party in Canada. Widely described as social democratic,The party is widely described as social democratic:
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from 2009 to 2013.
Before politics
Skabar spent the majority of his government career as a
social worker
Social work is an academic discipline and practice-based profession concerned with meeting the basic needs of individuals, families, groups, communities, and society as a whole to enhance their individual and collective well-being. Social wo ...
and also in management positions with Health Canada and
Indigenous & Northern Affairs Canada, formerly known as Indian & Northern Affairs Canada.
Political career
Skabar elected to the
Nova Scotia House of Assembly
The Nova Scotia House of Assembly (; ), or Legislative Assembly, is the deliberative assembly of the General Assembly of Nova Scotia, and together with the lieutenant governor of Nova Scotia makes up the Nova Scotia Legislature.
The assembly is ...
in the
2009 provincial election. Skabar won the riding of
Cumberland North
Cumberland North is a provincial electoral district in Nova Scotia, Canada, that elects one member of the Nova Scotia House of Assembly. Prior to 1993, it was part of Cumberland East.
The communities of Amherst and Pugwash are within its boun ...
for the
New Democratic Party
The New Democratic Party (NDP; , ) is a federal political party in Canada. Widely described as social democratic,The party is widely described as social democratic:
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He obtained 40 per cent of the popular vote and was the first NDP candidate ever elected in the district.
On June 29, 2009, Skabar was appointed Ministerial Assistant to the Nova Scotia Office of Aboriginal Affairs, and on March 15, 2013 he was appointed Ministerial Assistant of Intergovernmental Relations and Nova Scotia/New Brunswick Co-operation.
In the
2013 election, Skabar finished third in Cumberland North, losing the seat to Liberal
Terry Farrell.
In the 2016 Amherst municipal election Skabar ran for mayor, however he lost to David Kogan.
Personal life
Skabar's daughter Lauren has run as MLA on behalf of the NDP in Cumberland North in 2021 and in
Argyle in 2024.
Cumberland North pits high-profile Independent vs. former 7-term MP
CBC News
Electoral record
References
1952 births
Living people
Nova Scotia New Democratic Party MLAs
People from Amherst, Nova Scotia
Politicians from Winnipeg
21st-century members of the Nova Scotia House of Assembly
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