MLA for Pictou West Marco MacLeod has officially offered his resignation as Nova Scotia’s energy minister following weeks of criticism regarding rap songs he was featured in.
On Wednesday night, the premier’s office issued a news release stating premier Tim Houston accepted his resignation as minister. According to the release, this came after “several weeks of meeting with women’s advocacy organizations.”
Frank Magazine first broke the story on Marco MacLeod’s music last month, where his rap lyrics contained misogynistic language such as calling women “hoes” and “sluts”. The songs also feature MacLeod rapping extensively about his supposed drug use: “Snoop Dogg in my lungs, Charlie Sheen in my nostrils,” etc.
Recorded sometime between 2009 and 2013, these songs were posted to Spotify and Apple Music in 2023—one year before MacLeod ran in a byelection for the Pictou West seat. They have since been removed from streaming services.
After the songs were discovered, several organizations called for the MLA’s resignation. Adsum for Women and Children—who operate a housing complex for women and gender-diverse peoples—called the lyrics “violent and misogynistic,” stating he “shouldn’t be excused by his alleged ‘youth’.” MacLeod would have been in his twenties when he recorded the track.
MacLeod then took to social media to share a hand-written letter in which he formally apologized for his words, stating he takes full responsibility and would be committed to “doing everything I can as a community leader to bring about the change necessary to stop misogyny in all its forms.”
More recently, a group of eight gender-based violence advocacy organizations penned a letter to Houston, calling on him and his government to take the issue seriously rather than dismiss it as just some “bad language,” as it had been referred to previously by the premier.
The press release from the premier’s office does not claim the lyrics were misogynistic or violent, but instead uses the word “hurtful”.
“Mr. MacLeod has offered me his resignation, which I have accepted,” says Houston in the release. “Marco has expressed to me his regret for publishing those songs. Ultimately, he feels his actions have become a distraction from the work of our government, and he wants to spend more time focusing on learning and growing. I thank Marco for the work he has given to the province in his role as minister of energy.”
In another written letter posted to social media, MacLeod said he’s been in conversation with women’s groups, taken part in training, reading relevant literature and is committed to “continuing to learn and do better.”
“Our province is in the midst of an important energy transition, with major projects ahead and the modernization of our power grid,” reads the end of MacLeod’s letter. “My continuing as a minister has become a distraction to our provincial ambitions.”
MacLeod became Nova Scotia’s energy minister on May 27, 2026, ultimately lasting 96 days in the role. He will remain the MLA for Pictou West.
Before MacLeod, Houston appointed himself as energy minister during his October 2025 cabinet shuffle. With MacLeod gone, Houston reclaims the role of energy minister.
