N.S. MLA charged twice with impaired driving to sit as an independent

Nova Scotia MLA Hugh MacKay, who is facing a second charge of impaired driving, has announced he is leaving the Liberal caucus and will sit as an independent.

MacKay, 65, was served court documents on Feb. 12 by Halifax District RCMP for allegedly driving under the influence in November 2018.

READ MORE: MLA for Chester-St. Margaret charged for allegedly driving under the influence in 2018 incident

The RCMP, however, did not provide any details about the incident or where it occurred.

The Chester-St. Margaret’s MLA released a statement on Sunday regarding the allegation.

“While I have yet to receive the full disclosure of details, I fully recognize the seriousness of the allegation,” he stated.

“Though I do not know the specifics of this charge, I am mindful of the fact that these claims are not to be taken lightly.”

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MacKay continued by stating that he doesn’t want the matter to “cause any further disruption to the important work this government is doing.”

“As such, I have made the difficult decision to resign from the Nova Scotia Liberal Caucus,” he concluded.

“I intend to continue to sit as an independent member of the Nova Scotia Legislature while representing the people of Chester-St. Margaret’s.”

In October 2019, Mackay was charged with driving under the influence during Thanksgiving weekend. He addressed the allegation in a statement on Oct. 15, saying he has struggled with alcohol addiction issues for several years and has been actively undergoing treatment since 2004.

READ MORE: MLA for Chester-St. Margaret’s seeking professional help after driving under the influence

MacKay is expected to face the most recent allegation in Halifax provincial court on March 16.

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MacKay’s resignation will leave the governing Liberals with a slim majority, holding 26 of 51 seats in the legislature.