Michael Savage (politician)

For other people with the same name, see Michael Savage (disambiguation).

His Honour the Honourable Michael Savage
Savage in 2016
34th Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia
Incumbent
Assumed office 13 December 2024
Monarch	Charles III
Governor General	Mary Simon
Premier	Tim Houston
Preceded by	Arthur LeBlanc
3rd Mayor of the Halifax Regional Municipality
In office November 6, 2012 – November 5, 2024
Preceded by	Peter J. Kelly
Succeeded by	Andy Fillmore
Member of Parliament for Dartmouth—Cole Harbour
In office June 28, 2004 – May 2, 2011
Preceded by	Wendy Lill
Succeeded by	Robert Chisholm
Personal details
Born	Michael John Savage (1960-05-13) May 13, 1960 Belfast, Northern Ireland
Nationality	Canadian British
Political party	Independent
Other political affiliations	Liberal (until 2012)
Parent	John Savage (father)
Residence(s)	Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada
Profession	Politician consultant

Michael John Savage (born May 13, 1960) is the 34th Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia. Before his appointment, he served as a Canadian politician, notably as the Mayor of the Halifax Regional Municipality (2012-2024) and as a Liberal member of Parliament for the riding of Dartmouth—Cole Harbour from (2004-2011).

Early Life, Education and Family

Savage was born in Belfast, Northern Ireland, and spent his early years in South Wales before immigrating to Canada at the age of six. He is the son of former Nova Scotia Premier John Savage.

Raised in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, he graduated from Prince Andrew High School and earned a Bachelor of Arts in History from Dalhousie University.

Savage and his wife, Darlene (Killen) Savage, reside in Nova Scotia and have two adult children, Emma and Conor.

Career

Business Community

After completing his post-secondary education, Savage became a member of the business community in Nova Scotia. He served as General Manager of S. Cunard & Co., a home and heating retailer, and later became the Director of Residential and General Business Marketing and Sales for Nova Scotia Power.

In April 2002, he joined Ray & Berndtson as Vice-President of Business Development and Senior Consultant.

Political Career

Savage represented Dartmouth–Cole Harbour as a Member of Parliament from 2004 to 2011, championing economic development and inclusion, advancing disability rights, and supporting same-sex marriage. He was an active member of parliamentary committees, groups, and associations, including serving as the Chief Opposition Critic and Vice-Chair of the Standing Committee on Human Resources, Skills and Social Development, and the Status of Persons with Disabilities.

Elected as Mayor of Halifax Regional Municipality in 2012, Savage served three consecutive terms, prioritizing economic growth, social and economic inclusion, and sustainable climate action.As a member of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) Big City Mayors’ Caucus, he served as co-chair FCM’s Syrian Refugee Response Task Force in 2015. That same year, he became President of the World Energy Cities Partnership, an international organization connecting cities with significant energy sector interests. In 2021, he was elected by his colleagues as Chair of the Big City Mayors’ Caucus, a group consisting of representatives from twenty-three of Canada's largest cities.

In March 2016, Savage was recognized as a Modern Maker of Canada by the Institute on Governance, an honour acknowledging civic leaders’ contributions to driving economic prosperity. In 2018, he joined the Bloomberg Harvard City Leadership Initiative — a program of the Bloomberg Centre for Cities at Harvard University — working with thirty-nine mayors and senior city officials to explore research and tools designed to enhance government performance and improve quality of life for all residents.

Savage has been awarded numerous citations and honours for his leadership of Canadian initiatives.

Appointment as Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia

On October 13, 2024, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Savage’s appointment as the 34th Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia, succeeding Arthur J. LeBlanc.

In a written statement, the Prime Minister said: “I congratulate Mike Savage on his appointment as the new Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia. He is a passionate public servant and an experienced leader, and I am confident that he will continue to serve Nova Scotians well and make important contributions in his new role.”

Savage took the oath of office during an installation ceremony at Province House, Nova Scotia, on December 13, 2024. In his remarks, Savage highlighted plans to recognize the contributions of Nova Scotians to their communities, the province, and the country. His mandate will also focus on civic engagement among youth, environmental sustainability, and the role of history and culture in shaping the province's future direction.

Premier Tim Houston stated that Savage has demonstrated a long-standing commitment to public service, economic development, community engagement, and volunteerism — qualities that have prepared him to serve as the King’s representative in Nova Scotia.

“Lt.-Gov. Savage has been a champion for Halifax Regional Municipality during his time as mayor and as a Member of Parliament,” said Premier Houston. “His passion for community will continue to be evident in his new role. On behalf of all Nova Scotians, I wish him and Ms. Savage every success.”

Volunteerism and Community Service

Savage has demonstrated a long-standing commitment to public service, economic development, community engagement, and volunteerism. His contributions extend to organizations supporting health, literacy, humanitarian aid, and the arts. He is a past President of the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Nova Scotia and served on the Board of Directors of the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada from 1998 to 2003. He has also supported literacy through his involvement with the Dartmouth Book and Writing Awards and the Peter Gzowski Golf Tournament for Literacy.

Most recently, Savage has been involved with community organizations such as Junior Achievement, the Red Cross, the Canadian National Institute for the Blind, and Alderney Landing. He is also a former member of the Neptune Theatre Board and the United Way Halifax. Additionally, he served as President of the Halifax Executive Association from 1995 to 1996, and was a member of the Metropolitan Halifax Chamber of Commerce.

Honours and Awards

Savage is a recipient of the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal (2012), Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal (2022), and King Charles III Coronation Medal (2024). As Lieutenant Governor, His Honour is the Chancellor of the Order of Nova Scotia and the Vice-Prior and Knight of Justice of the Order of St. John.

Electoral history

2011 Canadian federal election: Dartmouth—Cole Harbour
Party	Candidate	Votes	%	±%	Expenditures
	New Democratic	Robert Chisholm	15,678	36.27	+4.73	$51,111.67
	Liberal	Michael Savage	15,181	35.12	-4.37	$70,147.67
	Conservative	Wanda Webber	10,702	24.76	+2.30	$51,126.57
	Green	Paul Shreenan	1,662	3.85	-2.11	$0.00
Total valid votes/expense limit			43,223	99.41		$83,954.73
Total rejected, unmarked and declined ballots			255	0.59	-0.01
Turnout			43,478	61.45	+2.72
Eligible voters			70,756
	New Democratic gain from Liberal		Swing		+4.55
Sources:

2008 Canadian federal election: Dartmouth—Cole Harbour
Party	Candidate	Votes	%	±%	Expenditures
	Liberal	Michael Savage	16,016	39.49	-2.83	$63,901.48
	New Democratic	Brad Pye	12,793	31.55	-0.95	$56,900.80
	Conservative	Wanda Webber	9,109	22.46	-0.36	$64,746.58
	Green	Paul Shreenan	2,417	5.96	+3.69	$444.09
	Christian Heritage	George Campbell	219	0.54	–	$351.78
Total valid votes/expense limit			40,554	100.0		$80,942
Total rejected, unmarked and declined ballots			245	0.60	+0.23
Turnout			40,799	58.73	-3.71
Eligible voters			69,469
	Liberal hold		Swing		-0.94

2006 Canadian federal election: Dartmouth—Cole Harbour
Party	Candidate	Votes	%	±%	Expenditures
	Liberal	Michael Savage	19,027	42.32	+0.25	$67,910.96
	New Democratic	Peter Mancini	14,612	32.50	±0	$60,717.57
	Conservative	Robert A. Campbell	10,259	22.82	+1.72	$41,775.58
	Green	Elizabeth Perry	1,005	2.24	-0.92	$582.70
	Marxist–Leninist	Charles Spurr	56	0.12	-0.05	none listed
Total valid votes/expense limit			44,959	100.0		$76,265
Total rejected, unmarked and declined ballots			166	0.37	-0.07
Turnout			45,125	62.44	+0.51
Eligible voters			72,264
	Liberal hold		Swing		+0.12

2004 Canadian federal election: Dartmouth—Cole Harbour
Party	Candidate	Votes	%	±%	Expenditures
	Liberal	Michael Savage	17,425	42.07	+8.18	$62,046.28
	New Democratic	Susan MacAlpine-Gillis	13,463	32.50	-2.82	$59,335.19
	Conservative	Michael L. MacDonald	8,739	21.10	-9.34	$54,707.19
	Green	Michael Marshall	1,311	3.16	–	$200.00
	Progressive Canadian	Tracy Parsons	415	1.00	–	$1,140.15
	Marxist–Leninist	Charles Spurr	70	0.17	–	none listed
Total valid votes/expense limit			41,423	100.0		$73,009
Total rejected, unmarked and declined ballots			181	0.44
Turnout			41,604	61.93
Eligible voters			67,176
	Liberal notional gain from New Democratic		Swing		+5.50
Changes from 2000 are based on redistributed results. Conservative Party change is based on the combination of Canadian Alliance and Progressive Conservative Party totals.

1997 Canadian federal election: Dartmouth—Cole Harbour
Party	Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	New Democratic	Wendy Lill	12,326	32.57	+25.48
	Liberal	Michael Savage	10,298	27.21	-23.60
	Progressive Conservative	Rob McCleave	10,183	26.91	+3.33
	Reform	John Cody	4,446	11.75	-3.87
	Independent	Cliff Williams	438	1.16	-0.63
	Natural Law	Claude Viau	156	0.41	-0.71
Total valid votes			37,847	100.00
Change for Independent candidate Cliff Williams is shown based on his results as a National Party candidate in 1993.

External links

• Michael Savage – Parliament of Canada biography