Richard Alphonsus Donahoe, Q.C., K.S.G. (September 27, 1909 – April 25, 2000) was a Canadian lawyer and politician. Born in

Halifax, Nova Scotia Halifax is the capital and largest municipality of the Canadian province of Nova Scotia, and the largest municipality in Atlantic Canada. As of the 2021 Census, the municipal population was 439,819, with 348,634 people in its urban area. The ...

, the son of James Donahoe and Rebecca Duggan, he was educated at

Dalhousie University Dalhousie University (commonly known as Dal) is a large public research university in Nova Scotia Nova Scotia ( ; ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada. It is one of the three Maritime provinces and one of the fou ...

and set up practice in Halifax. In 1936, he married Mary Boyd. Donahoe ran unsuccessfully for the

House of Commons of Canada The House of Commons of Canada (french: Chambre des communes du Canada) is the lower house of the Parliament of Canada. Together with the Crown and the Senate of Canada, they comprise the bicameral legislature of Canada. The House of Common ...

as the National Government candidate in the riding of Halifax in 1940 federal election. In 1951, he was elected an alderman on the Halifax City Council. He was elected

mayor In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilities of a mayor as well a ...

in 1952 and was acclaimed in 1953 and 1954. He was elected to the

Nova Scotia House of Assembly The Nova Scotia House of Assembly (french: Assemblée législative de la Nouvelle-Écosse; gd, Taigh Seanaidh Alba Nuadh), or Legislative Assembly, is the deliberative assembly of the General Assembly of Nova Scotia of the province of Nova Scotia ...

in a 1954

by-election A by-election, also known as a special election in the United States and the Philippines, a bye-election in Ireland, a bypoll in India, or a Zimni election (Urdu: ضمنی انتخاب, supplementary election) in Pakistan, is an election used to f ...

held after the death of

Angus L. Macdonald Angus Lewis Macdonald (August 10, 1890 – April 13, 1954), popularly known as 'Angus L.', was a Canadian lawyer, law professor and politician from Nova Scotia. He served as the Liberal premier of Nova Scotia from 1933 to 1940, when he became ...

and was re-elected four times in

1956 Events January * January 1 – The Anglo-Egyptian Sudan, Anglo-Egyptian Condominium ends in Sudan. * January 8 – Operation Auca: Five U.S. evangelical Christian Missionary, missionaries, Nate Saint, Roger Youderian, Ed McCully, Jim ...

1960 It is also known as the "Year of Africa" because of major events—particularly the independence of seventeen African nations—that focused global attention on the continent and intensified feelings of Pan-Africanism. Events January * Ja ...

1963 Events January * January 1 – Bogle–Chandler case: Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation scientist Dr. Gilbert Bogle and Mrs. Margaret Chandler are found dead (presumed poisoned), in bushland near the Lane Cov ...

and

1967 Events January * January 1 – Canada begins a year-long celebration of the 100th anniversary of Confederation, featuring the Expo 67 World's Fair. * January 5 ** Spain and Romania sign an agreement in Paris, establishing full consular and ...

. He was the Attorney General and Minister of Public Health in the cabinets of

Robert Stanfield Robert Lorne Stanfield (April 11, 1914 – December 16, 2003) was a Canadian politician who served as the 17th premier of Nova Scotia from 1956 to 1967 and the leader of the Official Opposition and leader of the federal Progressive Conservative ...

and

George Isaac Smith George Isaac Smith MBE (April 6, 1909 – December 19, 1982) was a Canadian lawyer and politician who served as the 18th premier of Nova Scotia from 1967 to 1970. He was a Canadian senator from 1975 until his death. G.I. Smith is noted for ...

. Donahoe helped implement the Medical Insurance Program in Nova Scotia. He was defeated when he ran for reelection in 1970 and returned to his law practice. In 1979, he was appointed to the

Senate of Canada The Senate of Canada (french: region=CA, Sénat du Canada) is the upper house of the Parliament of Canada. Together with the Crown and the House of Commons, they comprise the bicameral legislature of Canada. The Senate is modelled after the B ...

representing the senatorial division of Halifax, Nova Scotia. A Progressive Conservative, he served until his mandatory retirement at the age of 75 in 1984. In 1969,

Pope Paul VI Pope Paul VI ( la, Paulus VI; it, Paolo VI; born Giovanni Battista Enrico Antonio Maria Montini, ; 26 September 18976 August 1978) was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City, Vatican City State from 21 June 1963 to his ...

made him a Knight of the

Order of St. Gregory the Great The Pontifical Equestrian Order of St. Gregory the Great ( la, Ordo Sancti Gregorii Magni; it, Ordine di San Gregorio Magno) was established on 1 September 1831, by Pope Gregory XVI, seven months after his election as Pope. The order is one of ...

. His sons,

Terry Donahoe Terence Richard Boyd Donahoe (October 30, 1944 – November 29, 2005) was a Nova Scotia opposition leader, cabinet minister, and MLA. Early life and education Terry Donahoe was born in Halifax on October 30, 1944. His father Richard was ...

and

Art Donahoe Arthur R. Donahoe (born April 7, 1940) is a former lawyer and political figure in Nova Scotia, Canada. He represented Halifax Citadel-Sable Island, Halifax Citadel in the Nova Scotia House of Assembly from 1978 to 1993 as a Progressive Conservat ...

were also Nova Scotia politicians. He was president of the

Canadian Curling Association Curling Canada (formerly the Canadian Curling Association (CCA)) is a sanctioning body for the sport of Curling in Canada. It is associated with more than a dozen provincial and territorial curling associations across the country, and organizes C ...

from 1955 to 1956.

References

*
Marble, AE ''Nova Scotians at home and abroad: biographical sketches ....'' (1977)
p. 142

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Donahoe, Richard 1909 births 2000 deaths Canadian senators from Nova Scotia Conservative Party of Canada (1867–1942) candidates for the Canadian House of Commons Mayors of Halifax, Nova Scotia Progressive Conservative Association of Nova Scotia MLAs Members of the Executive Council of Nova Scotia Nova Scotia Ministers of Health Curling Canada presidents