PORT HOOD: The head of municipal council has passed away.
The Municipality of the County of Inverness confirmed that Inverness Warden Laurie Cranton died last night.
Serving as warden since 2020 and District 2 Councillor since 2016, the municipality said Cranton “was a kind and dedicated voice for residents across Inverness County.”
“It has been both a pleasure and an honour to work alongside warden Cranton over the past four years,” said Inverness Chief Administrative Officer Keith MacDonald. “Laurie continually had the best interests of the municipality and the residents of Inverness County at heart, and he will be deeply missed.”
The municipality noted that Cranton “was especially proud of his work to advocate for improved accessibility, roads and bridges and recreational trails in the county.”
“Laurie’s legacy will live on, and he will be remembered as a kind, supportive, inspirational leader and advocate for the Inverness County, district 2, and the accessibility community,” said Deputy Warden Bonny MacIsaac. “Warden Cranton will be greatly missed by his family, friends, colleagues, and the numerous organizations to which he generously volunteered his time and support.”
Cranton was first elected in district 2 in 2016, taking over from long-time councillor Gloria LeBlanc in an area covering Grand Étang, St. Joseph-du-Moine, and the Margarees.
Four years later, council elected Cranton warden after he beat out former District 1 Councillor Alfred Poirier in a secret ballot.
Back in January, Cranton confirmed at the conclusion of the regular monthly meeting of Inverness Municipal Council that he tested positive for COVID-19 on New Year’s Eve while at the Inverness Consolidated Memorial Hospital. He had been at the hospital for a month due to infections.