Walter John "Jack" Hawkins (born 5 May 1932) is a Canadian author and politician from Nova Scotia. He served as a Liberal member for Hants East in the Nova Scotia House of Assembly across three non-consecutive terms from 1970 to 1993, holding Executive Council roles such as Minister of Agriculture and Minister of the Environment. Hawkins has authored several books, including the popular Deer Hunting in Eastern Canada (1981) and various historical works about Nova Scotia.
Jack Hawkins was born on 5 May 1932 in Halifax, Nova Scotia, to parents Walter John and Dorothy Marguerite Hawkins (néeHartnett).[1] He was raised in Enfield,[2] and attended the E. H. Horne School.[3] Hawkins graduated from St. Mary's College High School, where he received awards for his academic performance in English, French, and Latin.[3] He was an active sportsman in his youth, playing baseball and ice hockey in senior leagues.[3] After graduating from high school, he earned his Bachelor of Arts from Saint Mary's University and completed Canadian Army officer training.[3] He served in the army as a lieutenant from 1955 to 1960,[1] including a two-year tour in Europe.[3] He went on to earn a Master of Arts in English from the University of New Brunswick before returning to Nova Scotia to continue his studies at Dalhousie University.[2][3]
Career
After finishing his education, Hawkins became an English professor at the Nova Scotia Agricultural College in Truro. He worked in radio doing commentary for CBC Maritimes and a local station,[2] and wrote a column for the Truro News entitled "Plain Talk".[3] He began his career in politics in 1963, serving as a municipal councillor in East Hants until 1967.[2][1] In 1970, Hawkins was elected as the Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) for Hants East.[3] He served in Executive Council as Minister of Agriculture from 1972 to 1978 and as Minister of the Environment from 1975 to 1976. Hawkins also served as chair of the Nova Scotia Treasury Board from 1975 to 1978 and Chair of the Liberal caucus from 1981 to 1983.
Hawkins wrote two books on the subject of politics, the first of which being The Life and Times of Angus L. (1969), concerning the Nova Scotia politician Angus L. MacDonald. His book Recollections of the Regan Years: A Political Memoir (1990) discusses his political career during the premiership of Gerald Regan.[2] His most popular book is Deer Hunting in Eastern Canada (1981) which has been republished at least 10 times; on account of its positive reception, he subsequently wrote More About Hunting Deer and Rabbits in Eastern Canada (1993).[2] His historical works include Renfrew Gold: the Story of a Nova Scotia Ghost Town (1995), concerning the gold mining town of Renfrew,[2] and Captains, Mansions and Millionaires: The Remarkable Story of Maitland, Nova Scotia (1996), which discusses the history of Maitland.
Personal life
Hawkins married his wife, Monique Marie Roach, in 1956. They had three children together, and live in Enfield.[2] His wife, who goes by Mona, assisted him throughout his political career. Like her husband, she was active in community affairs, serving as president of the Enfield and Hants County Home and School Associations and as honorary president of the Women's Institute of Nova Scotia.[3]
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