Laird Stirling

R. Laird Stirling (August 22, 1938 – March 2, 2020) was a Canadian politician and minister. He represented the electoral district of Dartmouth North in the Nova Scotia House of Assembly from 1978 to 1988. He was a member of the Nova Scotia Progressive Conservative Party.^[1]

The Honourable Reverend Laird Stirling ECNS
MLA for Dartmouth North
In office 1978–1988
Preceded by	Glen M. Bagnell
Succeeded by	Sandy Jolly
Personal details
Born	(1938-08-22)August 22, 1938 Noranda, Quebec, Canada
Died	March 2, 2020(2020-03-02) (aged 81) Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada
Political party	Progressive Conservative
Occupation	Minister

Stirling was born in Noranda, Quebec. He attended the Atlantic School of Theology and McMaster University. He was a minister and has also worked as a hospital chaplain. He was married to Carolyn Wilson.^[2]

Stirling entered provincial politics in the 1978 election, defeating Liberal cabinet minister Glen Bagnell by over 1,600 votes in Dartmouth North.^[3] In June 1979, Stirling was appointed to the Executive Council of Nova Scotia as Minister of Social Services.^[2][4] He was re-elected in the 1981 election,^[5] and was moved to Minister of Consumer Affairs in December 1981.^[6][7] Following his re-election in 1984,^[8] Stirling continued to serve as Minister of Consumer Affairs until February 1987, when he was moved to Minister of Environment.^[9] In November 1987, Stirling was shuffled again, becoming Minister of Municipal Affairs.^[10][11] He was defeated when he ran for re-election in 1988, losing to Liberal Sandy Jolly by 121 votes.^[12][13] Stirling died on March 2, 2020.^[14]