The Honourable Michael Baker

I'd like to take tonight's post and dedicate it to the loss of a valuable Nova Scotian, the Honourable Michael Baker, Q.C. who passed away Monday March 2nd, after what I can only describe as what appeared to be a brave, unfaltering battle against cancer.

Michael Baker was a man who had a deep sense of civic responsiblity and demonstrated it at every turn. His list of accomplishments both in the public service and his private life is long and impressive, far to impressive for me to do justice to here in this little website, and I fear I might miss something if I tried.

The positions Michael held as a Cabinet Minister were never the easy ones, in fact, his most recent, which he worked at diligently up until about two weeks ago, was Minister Of Finance for Nova Scotia, in these turbulent financial times, one of the most difficult of Ministerial positions.

Minister Baker did it with a courage seldom seen in political life. His devotion to his duty was unwavering, going to work everyday, despite the pain he was suffering. He should be an inspiration to all Nova Scotians.

I watched his various public appearances with a sense of sadness as Mr.Baker's health was obviously declining this past year. His once robust, strong body reduced by the illness that eventually claimed his life. The pain he suffered didn't stop him, and had I not known of his illness, in the beginning it was almost possible to think that perhaps he had just gone on a big diet, but, unfortunately that wasn't the case.

So, after a long, brave fight, with his family around him The Honourable Michael Gilbert Baker, Q.C., Minister of Finance, 52, of Lunenburg, passed away peacefully at home on Monday, March 2, 2009 leaving behind his wife and two children.

Michael Baker, lived and died as what my father would call,
a "man's man". That is to say he fought for what he believed, and he took whatever happened with honour, full on, unwavering in his conviction, determined and brave....and that is the way his life finished, full on, unwavering and brave, and above all, honourable....

The Honourable Michael Baker Q.C. shall be sadly missed by all Nova Scotians.....