Statement on Death of Former Cabinet Minister Ron Stewart

NOTE: The following is a statement from Premier Tim Houston.

With the passing of Dr. Ron Stewart, we have lost a true gentleman. His courtly manners, coupled with a brilliant mind and a dogged determination to help people, made him unstoppable. He was a proud son of Nova Scotia who changed the lives of thousands of people for the better.

Dr. Stewart, CC, ONS, ECNS, MD, was the former MLA for Cape Breton North and the Minister of Health who transformed the Province’s emergency health services.

In later years, Dr. Stewart was professor emeritus in the Department of Emergency Medicine at Dalhousie University. In 2017, as a beloved faculty member, he pledged $1.3 million to the Dalhousie Medical Research Foundation in support of emergency health services research.

Last March, Dr. Stewart’s 50 years of selfless, groundbreaking work was recognized when he was promoted to the level of Companion of the Order of Canada, the most senior level. He was only the seventh Nova Scotian to ever achieve this high honour, and was also the deserving recipient of the Order of Nova Scotia.

Dr. Stewart lived an incredible life filled with achievements. Yet he remained humble and kind and gracious right until the very end.

My most sincere condolences go out to the people who loved Dr. Stewart and who will miss him dearly.