List of premiers of Nova Scotia

Last updated

Premier of Nova Scotia
Arms of Nova Scotia.svg
Incumbent
Tim Houston
since August 31, 2021
Seat Halifax
Formation1867

The Canadian province of Nova Scotia was a British colony with a system of responsible government since 1848, before it joined Canadian Confederation in 1867. Since Confederation, the province has been a part of the Canadian federation and has kept its own legislature to deal with provincial matters. [1]

Contents

Nova Scotia has a unicameral Westminster-style parliamentary government, in which the premier is the leader of the party that controls the most seats in the House of Assembly. The premier is Nova Scotia's head of government, and the king in right of Nova Scotia is its head of state and is represented by the lieutenant governor of Nova Scotia. The premier picks a cabinet from the elected members to form the Executive Council of Nova Scotia, and presides over that body. [1]

Members are first elected to the House during general elections. General elections must be conducted every five years from the date of the last election, but the premier may ask for early dissolution of the Legislative Assembly. An election may also occur if the governing party loses the confidence of the legislature by the defeat of a supply bill or tabling of a confidence motion. [2] Nova Scotia has had 27 individuals serve as premier since Confederation, of which 12 were Conservatives, 14 were Liberals, and one NDP.

Premiers of Nova Scotia

No.PortraitName
(Birth–Death)
Term of officeElectoral mandates (Assembly)Political partyRiding

Premiers of the Colony of Nova Scotia

1
James Boyle Uniacke.jpg
James Boyle Uniacke
(1799–1858)
2 February
1848
4 April
1854
1847 election (18th Leg.)

1851 election (19th Leg.)

Liberal MLA for Cape Breton County
2
(1 of 2)
Hall-WilliamYoung.jpg
William Young
(1799–1887)
4 April
1854
24 February
1857
Appointment(19th Leg.)

1855 election (20th Leg.)

Liberal MLA for Inverness County
3
(1 of 2)
James William Johnston.jpg
James William Johnston
(1792–1873)
24 February
1857
10 February
1860
1859 election (22nd Leg.) Conservative MLA for Annapolis County
4
(2 of 2)
Hall-WilliamYoung.jpg
William Young
(1799–1887)
10 February
1860
3 August
1860
Appointment(22nd Leg.) Liberal MLA for Inverness County
5
Joehowe.JPG
Joseph Howe
(1804–1873)
3 August
1860
11 June
1863
Appointment(22nd Leg.) Liberal MLA for Hants County, South Division
6
(2 of 2)
James William Johnston.jpg
James William Johnston
(1792–1873)
11 June
1863
11 May
1864
1863 election (23rd Leg.) Conservative MLA for Annapolis County
7
Sir charles tupper.jpg
Charles Tupper
(1821–1915)
11 May
1864
4 July
1867
Appointment(23rd Leg.) Confederation MLA for Cumberland County

Premiers of the Province of Nova Scotia

1
1st Premier of Nova Scotia, Hiram Blanchard.jpg
Hiram Blanchard
(1820–1874)
4 July
1867
7 November
1867
Appointment(caretaker government) Conservative
(Ldr. 1867)
MLA for Inverness County
2
William Annand by William Notman.jpg
William Annand
(1808–1887)
7 November
1867
11 May
1875
1867 election (24th Leg.)

1871 election (25th Leg.)


1874 election (26th Leg.)

Anti-Confederation
(Ldr. 1867)
Councillor for province-at-large
3
No image.svg
Philip Carteret Hill
(1821–1894)
11 May
1875
22 October
1878
Appointment(26th Leg.) Liberal
(Ldr. 1875)
MLA for Halifax County
4
Simon Hugh Holmes.jpg
Simon Hugh Holmes
(1831–1919)
22 October
1878
25 May
1882
1878 election (27th Leg.) Conservative
(Ldr. 1874)
MLA for Pictou County
5
John Thompson.jpg
John Sparrow David Thompson
(1845–1894)
25 May
1882
3 August
1882
Appointment(caretaker government) Conservative
(Ldr. 1882)
MLA for Antigonish County
6
William Thomas Pipes.jpg
William Thomas Pipes
(1850–1909)
3 August
1882
28 July
1884
1882 election (28th Leg.) Liberal
(Ldr. 1882)
MLA for Cumberland County
7
William Stevens Fielding, premier of Nova Scotia.jpg
William Stevens Fielding
(1848–1929)
28 July
1884
20 July
1896
Appointment(28th Leg.)

1886 election (29th Leg.)


1890 election (30th Leg.)


1894 election (31st Leg.)

Liberal
(Ldr. 1883)
MLA for Halifax County
8
George Henry Murray.jpg
George Henry Murray
(1861–1929)
20 July
1896
24 January
1923
Appointment(31st Leg.)

1897 election (32nd Leg.)


1901 election (33rd Leg.)


1906 election (34th Leg.)


1911 election (35th Leg.)


1916 election (36th Leg.)


1920 election (37th Leg.)

Liberal
(Ldr. 1896)
MLA for Victoria County
9
Hon EH Armstrong (HS85-10-41072).jpg
Ernest Howard Armstrong
(1864–1946)
24 January
1923
16 July
1925
Appointment(37th Leg.) Liberal
(Ldr. 1923)
MLA for Shelburne County
10
Edgar Nelson Rhodes.jpg
Edgar Nelson Rhodes
(1877–1942)
16 July
1925
11 August
1930
1925 election (38th Leg.)

1928 election (39th Leg.)

Conservative
(Ldr. 1925)
MLA for Hants County
11
No image.svg
Gordon Sidney Harrington
(1883–1943)
11 August
1930
5 September
1933
Appointment(39th Leg.) Conservative
(Ldr. 1930)
MLA for Cape Breton Centre
12
(1 of 2)
Angus L Macdonald portrait.jpg
Angus L. Macdonald
(1890–1954)
5 September
1933
10 July
1940
1933 election (40th Leg.)

1937 election (41st Leg.)

Liberal
(Ldr. 1930)
MLA for Halifax South
13
No image.svg
Alexander Stirling MacMillan
(1871–1955)
10 July
1940
8 September
1945
Appointment(41st Leg.)

1941 election (42nd Leg.)

Liberal
(Ldr. 1940)
MLA for Hants
14
(2 of 2)
Angus L Macdonald portrait.jpg
Angus L. Macdonald
(1890–1954)
8 September
1945
13 April
1954
Appointment(42nd Leg.)

1945 election (43rd Leg.)


1949 election (44th Leg.)


1953 election (45th Leg.)

Liberal
(Ldr. 1945)
MLA for Halifax South
15
No image.svg
Harold Connolly
(1901–1980)
13 April
1954
30 September
1954
Appointment(45th Leg.) Liberal
(Ldr. 1954)
MLA for Halifax North
16
No image.svg
Henry Hicks
(1915–1990)
30 September
1954
20 November
1956
Appointment(45th Leg.) Liberal
(Ldr. 1954)
MLA for Annapolis
17
Premier Bob Stanfield.jpg
Robert Stanfield
(1914–2003)
20 November
1956
13 September
1967
1956 election (46th Leg.)

1960 election (47th Leg.)


1963 election (48th Leg.)


1967 election (49th Leg.)

Progressive Conservative
(Ldr. 1948)
MLA for Colchester
18
No image.svg
George Isaac Smith
(1909–1982)
13 September
1967
28 October
1970
Appointment(49th Leg.) Progressive Conservative
(Ldr. 1967)
MLA for Colchester
19
No image.svg
Gerald Regan
(1928–2019)
28 October
1970
5 October
1978
1970 election (50th Leg.)

1974 election (51st Leg.)

Liberal
(Ldr. 1965)
MLA for Halifax Needham
20
No image.svg
John Buchanan
(1931–2019)
5 October
1978
12 September
1990
1978 election (52nd Leg.)

1981 election (53rd Leg.)


1984 election (54th Leg.)


1988 election (55th Leg.)

Progressive Conservative
(Ldr. 1971)
MLA for Halifax Atlantic
21
No image.svg
Roger Stuart Bacon
(1926–2021)
12 September
1990
26 February
1991
Appointment(55th Leg.) Progressive Conservative
(Ldr. 1990)
MLA for Cumberland East
22
No image.svg
Donald William Cameron
(1946–2021)
26 February
1991
11 June
1993
Appointment(55th Leg.) Progressive Conservative
(Ldr. 1991)
MLA for Pictou East
23
No image.svg
John Savage
(1932–2003)
11 June
1993
18 July
1997
1993 election (56th Leg.) Liberal
(Ldr. 1992)
MLA for Dartmouth South
24
Russell MacLellan.jpg
Russell MacLellan
(b. 1940)
18 July
1997
16 August
1999
Appointment(56th Leg.)

1998 election (57th Leg.)

Liberal
(Ldr. 1997)
MLA for Cape Breton North
25
Jhamm03election.JPG
John F. Hamm
(b. 1938)
16 August
1999
24 February
2006
1999 election (58th Leg.)

2003 election (59th Leg.)

Progressive Conservative
(Ldr. 1995)
MLA for Pictou Centre
26
Rodney MacDonald cropped.png
Rodney MacDonald
(b. 1972)
24 February
2006
19 June
2009
Appointment(59th Leg.)

2006 election (60th Leg.)

Progressive Conservative
(Ldr. 2006)
MLA for Inverness
27
Darrell Dexter 2.jpg
Darrell Dexter
(b. 1957)
19 June
2009
22 October
2013
2009 election (61st Leg.) New Democratic
(Ldr. 2001)
MLA for Cole Harbour [3]
28
Stephen McNeil color-balanced.jpg
Stephen McNeil
(b. 1964)
22 October
2013
23 February
2021
2013 election (62nd Leg.)

2017 election (63rd Leg.)

Liberal
(Ldr. 2007)
MLA for Annapolis [4]
29
Iain Rankin leadership.jpg
Iain Rankin
(b. 1983)
23 February
2021
31 August
2021
Appointment(63rd Leg.) Liberal
(Ldr. 2021)
MLA for Timberlea-Prospect [5]
30
TimHouston.png
Tim Houston
(b. 1970)
31 August
2021
incumbent 2021 election (64th Leg.) Progressive Conservative
(Ldr. 2018)
MLA for Pictou East

Notes

    Related Research Articles

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Nova Scotia New Democratic Party</span> Political party in Canada

    The Nova Scotia New Democratic Party is a social-democratic, progressive provincial party in Nova Scotia, Canada. It is the provincial entity of the federal New Democratic Party (NDP). It was founded as the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation (CCF) in 1932, and became the New Democratic Party in 1961. It became the governing party of Nova Scotia following the 2009 Nova Scotia election, winning 31 seats in the Legislature, under the leadership of Premier Darrell Dexter. It is the first New Democratic Party in Atlantic Canada to form a government, and the second to form a government in a province east of Manitoba. The party lost government at the 2013 election, losing 24 seats, including Dexter's seat. Gary Burrill, the party’s leader from 2016 to 2022, is credited with bringing the party back to its left-wing roots. The party currently holds 6 seats in the Legislature and has been led by Claudia Chender since June 2022.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Nova Scotia Liberal Party</span> Political party in Nova Scotia, Canada

    The Nova Scotia Liberal Party is a centrist provincial political party in Nova Scotia, Canada and the provincial section of the Liberal Party of Canada. The party currently forms the Official Opposition in Nova Scotia, under the leadership of Zach Churchill. The party was in power most recently from the 2013 election until the 2021 election.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Progressive Conservative Association of Nova Scotia</span> Canadian political party

    The Progressive Conservative Party of Nova Scotia, is a moderate political party in Nova Scotia, Canada. Like most conservative parties in Atlantic Canada, it has been historically associated with the Red Tory faction of Canadian conservatism. The party is currently led by Pictou East MLA Tim Houston. The party won a majority government in the 2021 provincial election. The Progressive Conservative Party of Nova Scotia and the Conservative Party of Canada are two separate entities.

    Canada holds elections for legislatures or governments in several jurisdictions: for the federal (national) government, provincial and territorial governments, and municipal governments. Elections are also held for self-governing First Nations and for many other public and private organizations including corporations and trade unions. Municipal elections can also be held for both upper-tier and lower-tier governments.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Darrell Dexter</span> Canadian politician

    Darrell Elvin Dexter is a Canadian lawyer, journalist and former naval officer who served as the 27th premier of Nova Scotia from 2009 to 2013. A member of the Nova Scotia New Democratic Party, he served as party leader from 2001 to 2013. He became Premier in 2009 after his party defeated the governing Progressive Conservative Party, leading the first NDP government in Atlantic Canada and the second east of Manitoba. His government was defeated in the 2013 election, becoming the first Nova Scotia government in 131 years to be denied a second mandate; Dexter himself was defeated in his constituency by 21 votes. Dexter now serves as a lobbyist for the cannabis industry.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">2006 Nova Scotia general election</span>

    The 2006 Nova Scotia general election was held on June 13, 2006 to elect members of the 60th House of Assembly of the Province of Nova Scotia, Canada.

    Paul MacEwan was a politician in Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia, Canada, and long-time member of the Nova Scotia House of Assembly (MLA).

    Francis "Frank" Corbett is a former Deputy Premier of Nova Scotia.

    David "Dave" Allan Wilson is a Canadian politician and member of the Nova Scotia House of Assembly, representing the riding of Sackville-Cobequid for the Nova Scotia New Democratic Party. He was first elected in the 2003 election when veteran MLA John Holm did not re-offer. Wilson was re-elected in the 2006, 2009, 2013 and 2017 elections.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Lenore Zann</span> Canadian actress and politician

    Lenore Zann is a Canadian actress and former politician who has served as the Member of Parliament (MP) for the riding of Cumberland—Colchester in the House of Commons of Canada as a member of the Liberal Party. Before entering federal politics, she represented the electoral district of Truro-Bible Hill in the Nova Scotia House of Assembly from 2009 until 2019 as a member of the Nova Scotia New Democratic Party and from June 9, 2019, until September 12, 2019, as an independent.

    The timeline of elections in Canada covers all the provincial, territorial and federal elections from when each province was joined Confederation through to the present day. The table below indicates which party won the election. Several provinces held elections before joining Canada, but only their post-Confederation elections are shown. These include:

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Stephen McNeil</span> Canadian politician

    Stephen McNeil is a Canadian politician who served as the 28th premier of Nova Scotia, from 2013 to 2021. He also represented the riding of Annapolis in the Nova Scotia House of Assembly from 2003 to 2021 and was the leader of the Nova Scotia Liberal Party from 2007 to 2021.

    Nova Scotia is a parliamentary democracy. Its legislature consists of the Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia and fifty-five members representing their electoral districts in the Nova Scotia House of Assembly. As Canada's head of state, Charles III is the head of Nova Scotia's chief executive government. His duties in Nova Scotia are carried out by the Lieutenant-Governor, Arthur LeBlanc. The government is headed by the Premier, Tim Houston, who took office August 31, 2021. Halifax is home to the House of Assembly and Lieutenant-Governor. The House of Assembly has met in Halifax at Province House since 1819.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Government of Nova Scotia</span> Canadian provincial government

    The Government of Nova Scotia refers to the provincial government of the Canadian province of Nova Scotia. Nova Scotia is one of Canada's four Atlantic Provinces, and the second-smallest province by area. The capital of the province, Halifax, is Nova Scotia's largest city and its political capital. Halifax is where the Province House, Canada's oldest legislative building, is located.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">2009 Nova Scotia general election</span> Held on June 9, 2009 to elect House of Assembly members of Nova Scotia, Canada

    The 2009 Nova Scotia general election was held on June 9, 2009 to elect members of the 61st House of Assembly of the Province of Nova Scotia, Canada. The government was defeated on a money bill on May 4, and the Nova Scotia House of Assembly was dissolved by Lieutenant Governor Mayann Francis on May 5. thereby triggering an election. The NDP won a majority government, forming government the first time in the province's history, and for the first time in an Atlantic Canadian province. The governing Progressive Conservatives were reduced to third place.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">2021 Nova Scotia general election</span>

    The 2021 Nova Scotia general election was held on August 17, 2021, to elect members to the 64th General Assembly of Nova Scotia.

    The 42nd Nova Scotia general election will be held on or before 15 July 2025 to elect members to the 65th General Assembly of Nova Scotia. During the 2021 election, the Progressive Conservatives included a commitment in their platform to introduce fixed election dates in the province. Under amendments to the provincial Elections Act introduced and passed in October 2021, the first fixed election date following the 2021 Nova Scotia general election is set as 15 July 2025. All subsequent elections will take place on the third Tuesday in July of the fourth calendar year following the previous election.

    References

    General
    Specific
    1. 1 2 "Nova Scotia". Library and Archives Canada. May 2, 2005. Archived from the original on August 1, 2008. Retrieved November 11, 2008.
    2. "Bill C-16: An Act to amend the Canada Elections Act". Parliament of Canada. Archived from the original on October 19, 2008. Retrieved November 11, 2008.
    3. "Honourable Darrell Dexter NDP". The Nova Scotia Legislature. Retrieved December 30, 2012.
    4. Stephen McNeil leads Liberals to majority in Nova Scotia. CBC News, October 8, 2013.
    5. . CTV News, February 23, 2021.