{{Short description|Canadian politician (1931–2018)}} {{Use Canadian English|date=January 2023}} {{Infobox officeholder | image = | name = Russell MacNeil | caption = | birth_date = {{birth date|1931|2|24}} | birth_place = New Waterford, Nova Scotia, Canada | death_date = {{Death date and age|2018|6|16|1931|2|24}} | death_place = Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada | office = MLA for Cape Breton Centre | term_start = 1989 | term_end = 1998 | predecessor = Wayne Connors | successor = Frank Corbett | party = Liberal | occupation = }} '''Russell Francis MacNeil''' (February 24, 1931 – June 16, 2018) was a Canadian politician. He represented the electoral district of Cape Breton Centre in the Nova Scotia House of Assembly from 1989 to 1998. He was a member of the Nova Scotia Liberal Party.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://nslegislature.ca/sites/default/files/constituencies/pdfs/cape%20breton%20centre.pdf|title=Electoral History for Cape Breton Centre|publisher=Nova Scotia Legislative Library|accessdate=2018-04-02}}</ref>
==Personal life and career== MacNeil was born to Michael ("Mickey") and Mary ("Molly") MacNeil on February 24, 1931 at New Waterford, Nova Scotia.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=cGqJAAAAMAAJ&q=%22MacNeil,+Russell%22+New+Waterford|title=The Canadian Parliamentary Guide|publisher=P.G. Normandin|year=1994|page=767|isbn=9780921925545}}</ref> He graduated from St. Francis Xavier University with an arts degree in 1953, and an education degree in 1954. During his time at University, he played varsity basketball and rugby.<ref name="MacNeil1">{{cite web|url=http://www.capebretonpost.com/Sports/2010-05-27/article-1178423/It-all-started-at-the-Strand-Gym-for--Russell-MacNeil/1|title=It all started at the Strand Gym for Russell MacNeil|work=Cape Breton Post|date=May 27, 2010|accessdate=2024-04-10|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20141006123523/http://www.capebretonpost.com/Sports/2010-05-27/article-1178423/It-all-started-at-the-Strand-Gym-for--Russell-MacNeil/1|archivedate=October 6, 2014}}</ref><ref name="herald article">{{cite web|url=http://thechronicleherald.ca/thenovascotian/1547983-russell-macneil-retired-mla-and-sports-hall-of-famer|title=Russell MacNeil: Retired MLA and sports hall of famer|work=The Chronicle Herald|date=February 24, 2018|accessdate=2024-04-10|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20180227070247/http://thechronicleherald.ca/thenovascotian/1547983-russell-macneil-retired-mla-and-sports-hall-of-famer|archivedate=February 27, 2018}}</ref> Following graduation, MacNeil was a physical education teacher in New Waterford, and later served as the recreation director for the province of Nova Scotia.<ref name="herald article"/> He lived the majority of his life in New Waterford with his wife, Isabel, and their four children, before moving to Dartmouth, Nova Scotia in 2005. MacNeil died on June 16, 2018, in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia.<ref>{{cite web |date=June 17, 2018 |title=New Waterford loses two former Cape Breton MLAs |url=http://www.capebretonpost.com/news/new-waterford-loses-two-former-cape-breton-mlas-219265/ |accessdate=2018-06-17 |work=Cape Breton Post}}</ref>
MacNeil's father was a coal miner as were many of Russell's friends. When a teenage MacNeil became jealous of the money his friends had acquired, he expressed to his father that he was tired of school and wanted to work. Early one morning, MacNeil's father woke him up to take him to a shift in the mine, not far into which Russell knew he no longer wanted to be a coal miner. His father told him to go home and do his homework, which set the course for his career in education and politics.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=2018-02-27 |title=Russell MacNeil: Retired MLA and sports hall of famer {{!}} The Chronicle Herald |url=http://thechronicleherald.ca/thenovascotian/1547983-russell-macneil-retired-mla-and-sports-hall-of-famer |access-date=2025-03-25 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180227070247/http://thechronicleherald.ca/thenovascotian/1547983-russell-macneil-retired-mla-and-sports-hall-of-famer |archive-date=27 February 2018 }}</ref>
== Sports and recreation == When he was 15 years old, MacNeil played for the New Waterford Strands intermediate basketball team, where his teammates were all in their 20's or 30's. During an exhibition game against the St. Francis Xavier University varsity basketball team, he caught the eye of the University's recruiter, who requested that MacNeil's parents allowed him to attend St. Francis Xavier University, which they approved. Throughout his collegiate basketball career, MacNeil and St. Francis Xavier won five Maritime intercollegiate championships. MacNeil had a final basketball record of 69 wins and 7 losses throughout his five years at St. Francis Xavier University.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=St. Francis Xavier University Athletics |url=https://www.goxgo.ca/traditions/Hall_of_Fame/HOF_bios/macneil_russell |access-date=2025-03-25 |website=St. Francis Xavier University Athletics |language=en}}</ref>
MacNeil was heavily involved in sports and recreation for Nova Scotia. He was a founding member of the New Waterford Coal Bowl Classic, an annual tournament that continues to be played today, organized the 1969-70 Caper Games, served as president of the Eastern Junior A/B Hockey League for 14 years, was the director of the 1987 Canada Winter Games in Cape Breton, and was named the recreation director of Nova Scotia.<ref name=":0" />
MacNeil was inducted into the St. Francis Xavier University Sports Hall of Fame in 2001,<ref name=":1" /> the Cape Breton Sports Hall of Fame in 2010,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Fame |first=Cape Breton Sport Hall of |title=Cape Breton Sport Hall of Fame |url=https://capebretonsporthalloffame.org/builders |access-date=2025-03-25 |website=Cape Breton Sport Hall of Fame |language=en-CA}}</ref> and the New Waterford Sports Hall of Fame in 2013.<ref>{{Cite web |title=New Waterford Sports Hall of Fame - 2013 Inductees |url=https://www.nwsportshof.net/inductees/2013-inductees#h.gkhmcc50tjmp |access-date=2025-03-25 |website=www.nwsportshof.net |language=en-US}}</ref>
==Political career==
MacNeil entered provincial politics in 1989, running as the Liberal candidate in a Cape Breton Centre by-election.<ref>{{cite news|title=Cape Breton summer by-election heating up|work=The Globe and Mail|date=August 21, 1989}}</ref> Defeated by seven votes on election night,<ref>{{cite news|title=Tory wrests riding from Liberal by 7 votes|work=The Globe and Mail|date=August 23, 1989}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Tory wins by 7 votes in Cape Breton riding|work=Toronto Star|date=August 23, 1989}}</ref> the number was reduced to two when official results were announced.<ref>{{cite news|title=Two-vote margin found after Nova Scotia recount|work=The Globe and Mail|date=August 30, 1989}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Recount ordered in N.S. by-election|work=Toronto Star|date=August 30, 1989}}</ref> However, a judicial recount in September ended with MacNeil being declared the winner by three votes.<ref name="by-elections">{{cite web|url=http://electionsnovascotia.ca/sites/default/files/By%20Election%201989.pdf|title=Return of By-elections for the House of Assembly 1989 and 1990|publisher=Elections Nova Scotia|year=1990|accessdate=2014-10-06}}</ref> His Progressive Conservative opponent appealed to the Nova Scotia Supreme Court,<ref>{{cite news|title=N.S. Tories to appeal by-election recount|work=The Globe and Mail|date=September 26, 1989}}</ref> and in February 1990, the by-election was declared invalid and MacNeil's victory voided.<ref>{{cite news|title=N.S. judge orders 2nd by-election|work=The Globe and Mail|date=February 2, 1990}}</ref> A second by-election was held on August 28, 1990, with MacNeil winning the seat.<ref name="by-elections"/> He was re-elected in the 1993 election,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://electionsnovascotia.ca/sites/default/files/General%20Election%201993.pdf|title=Returns of General Election for the House of Assembly 1993|publisher=Elections Nova Scotia|year=1993|accessdate=2014-10-06}}</ref> and served as a backbench member of John Savage's government. MacNeil did not seek re-election in 1998.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.herald.ns.ca/cgi-bin/home/displaypackstory?1998/03/11+131.raw+PE98Mar11+2|title=Coal is king in C.B. Centre|work=The Chronicle Herald|date=March 11, 1998|accessdate=2014-10-06|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050123215848/http://www.herald.ns.ca/cgi-bin/home/displaypackstory?1998%2F03%2F11+131.raw+PE98Mar11+2|archive-date=January 23, 2005|url-status=dead}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:MacNeil, Russell}} Category:1931 births Category:2018 deaths Category:Nova Scotia Liberal Party MLAs Category:People from New Waterford, Nova Scotia Category:St. Francis Xavier University alumni Category:20th-century members of the Nova Scotia House of Assembly