{{Short description|Canadian politician}} {{Use Canadian English|date=January 2023}} {{Infobox officeholder | image = | name = Chester J. Melanson | caption = | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1940|06|26}} | birth_place = Meteghan Centre, Nova Scotia | office = MLA for Clare | term_start = 1981 | term_end = 1984 | predecessor = Benoit Comeau | successor = Guy LeBlanc | party = Liberal | occupation = Athletic director }} '''Chester Joseph Melanson''' (born June 26, 1940) is a Canadian politician. He represented the electoral district of Clare in the Nova Scotia House of Assembly from 1981 to 1984 as a member of the Nova Scotia Liberal Party.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://nslegislature.ca/pdfs/about/ConstituencyHistories/clare-digby.pdf|title=Electoral History for Clare-Digby|publisher=Nova Scotia Legislative Library|page=5|accessdate=November 13, 2014|archive-date=August 23, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170823064832/http://nslegislature.ca/pdfs/about/ConstituencyHistories/clare-digby.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref>
Melanson was born in 1940 at Meteghan Centre, Digby County, Nova Scotia.<ref name="bio directory">{{cite book |url=https://archive.org/details/legislativeassem0000unse/page/155|last1=Elliott|first1=Shirley B.|author-link1=Shirley Elliott|title=The Legislative Assembly of Nova Scotia, 1758–1983 : a biographical directory |accessdate=May 15, 2015 |year=1984|publisher=Public Archives of Nova Scotia|isbn=0-88871-050-X|page=[https://archive.org/details/legislativeassem0000unse/page/155 155]}}</ref> A graduate of the University of New Brunswick, Melanson was an athletic director.<ref name="bio directory"/> He entered provincial politics in the 1981 election, defeating Progressive Conservative Guy LeBlanc by 55 votes in the Clare riding.<ref>{{cite web |title=Returns of General Election for the House of Assembly 1981 |url=http://electionsnovascotia.ca/sites/default/files/General%20Election%201981.pdf |publisher=Elections Nova Scotia |year=1981 |page=47 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140310212300/http://electionsnovascotia.ca/sites/default/files/General%20Election%201981.pdf |archivedate=March 10, 2014}}</ref> Melanson was defeated by LeBlanc when he ran for re-election in 1984.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://electionsnovascotia.ca/sites/default/files/General%20Election%201984.pdf |title=Returns of General Election for the House of Assembly 1984 |publisher=Elections Nova Scotia |year=1984 |page=49 |url-status=dead |archivedate=October 5, 2013 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131005021932/http://electionsnovascotia.ca/sites/default/files/General%20Election%201984.pdf }}</ref>
In October 2008, Melanson was awarded the Order of La Pléiade, which was given to honour Acadian and Francophone community leaders, and Members of the Legislative Assembly.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.novanewsnow.com/Commuting/2008-10-20/article-606680/Acadian-francophone-community-leaders-to-receive-awards/1|title=Acadian, francophone community leaders to receive awards|work=Nova News Now|date=October 20, 2008|accessdate=November 13, 2014}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Melanson, Chester}} Category:1940 births Category:Living people Category:Nova Scotia Liberal Party MLAs Category:People from Digby County Category:University of New Brunswick alumni Category:20th-century members of the Nova Scotia House of Assembly
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