List of premiers of Nova Scotia

Darrell Dexter is the current premier of Nova Scotia.

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]

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 Queen 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 25 Premiers since Confederation, of which 12 were Conservatives and 13 were Liberals.

Contents

Premiers of Nova Scotia

      Non-partisan       Progressive Conservative Association of Nova Scotia       Nova Scotia Liberal Party       Nova Scotia New Democratic Party

Premier
(party)		 Period Parliament Elections
Premiers of the colony of Nova Scotia (1848–1867)
James Boyle Uniacke.jpg 1st James B. Uniacke
(Liberal)		 February 2, 1848
April 3, 1854		 18th Designated February 2, 1848
19th[N 1] Re-elected August 5, 1847
Resigned April 3, 1854
Hall-WilliamYoung.jpg 2nd William Young
(Liberal)
(1st of 2 non-consecutive terms)		 April 4, 1854
February 20, 1857		 Designated April 4, 1854
20th Re-elected 1851
Resigned February 20, 1857
James William Johnston.jpg
 3rd James W. Johnston
(Conservative)
(1st of 2 non-consecutive terms)		 February 24, 1857
February 7, 1860		 Designated February 24, 1857
22nd[N 2] Designated February 24, 1857
Re-elected May 12, 1859
Resigned February 7, 1860
Hall-WilliamYoung.jpg — William Young
(Liberal)
(2nd of 2 non-consecutive terms)		 February 10, 1860
August 3, 1860		 Elected February 10, 1860
Resigned August 3, 1860
Joehowe.JPG 4th Joseph Howe
(Liberal)		 August 3, 1860
June 5, 1863		 Elected August 3, 1860
James William Johnston.jpg
 — James W. Johnston
(Conservative)
(2nd of 2 non-consecutive terms)		 June 11, 1863
May 11, 1864		 23rd Elected June 11, 1863
Resigned May 11, 1864
Sir charles tupper.jpg
 5th Charles Tupper
(Confederation Party)		 May 11, 1864
July 4, 1867		 Designated May 11, 1864
Resigned July 4, 1867
Premiers of the province of Nova Scotia (1867–present)
1st Hiram Blanchard
(Conservative)		 July 4, 1867
September 30, 1867		 23rd Designated July 4, 1867
2nd William Annand
(Anti-Confederation-Liberal)		 November 7, 1867
May 8, 1875		 24th Elected September 18, 1867
25th Re-elected May 16, 1871
26th Re-elected December 17, 1874
Resigned May 8, 1875
3rd Philip Carteret Hill
(Liberal)		 May 11, 1875
October 15, 1878		 Designated May 11, 1875
Simon Hugh Holmes.jpg
 4th Simon H. Holmes
(Conservative)		 October 22, 1878
May 23, 1882		 27th Elected September 17, 1878
John Thompson.jpg
 5th John Sparrow David Thompson
(Conservative)		 May 25, 1882
July 18, 1882		 Designated May 25, 1882
Resigned July 18, 1882
William Thomas Pipes.jpg
 6th William T. Pipes
(Liberal)		 August 3, 1882
July 15, 1884		 28th Elected June 20, 1882
Resigned July 15, 1884
William Stevens Fielding.jpg 7th William S. Fielding
(Liberal)		 July 28, 1884
July 18, 1896		 Designated July 28, 1884
29th Re-elected June 15, 1886
30th Re-elected May 21, 1890
31st Re-elected March 15, 1894
Resigned July 18, 1896
George Henry Murray.jpg
 8th George H. Murray
(Liberal)		 July 20, 1896
January 24, 1923		 Designated July 20, 1896
32nd Re-elected April 20, 1897
33rd Re-elected October 2, 1901
34th Re-elected June 20, 1906
35th Re-elected June 14, 1911
36th Re-elected June 20, 1916
37th Re-elected July 27, 1920
Resigned January 24, 1923
9th Ernest H. Armstrong
(Liberal)		 January 24, 1923
July 16, 1925		 Designated January 24, 1923
Edgar Nelson Rhodes.jpg
 10th Edgar N. Rhodes
(Conservative)		 July 16, 1925
August 11, 1930		 38th Elected June 25, 1925
39th Re-elected October 1, 1928
Resigned August 11, 1930
11th Gordon S. Harrington
(Conservative)		 August 11, 1930
September 5, 1933		 Designated August 11, 1930
Angus L Macdonald portrait.jpg 12th Angus L. Macdonald
(Liberal)
(1st of 2 non-consecutive terms)		 September 5 1933
July 10, 1940		 40th Elected August 22, 1933
41st Re-elected June 29, 1937
Resigned July 10, 1940
13th Alexander S. MacMillan
(Liberal)		 July 10, 1940
September 8, 1945		 Designated July 10, 1940
42nd Re-elected October 28, 1941
Resigned September 8, 1945
Angus L Macdonald portrait.jpg — Angus L. Macdonald
(Liberal)
(2nd of 2 non-consecutive terms)		 September 8, 1945
April 13, 1954		 Designated September 8, 1945
43rd Elected October 23, 1945
44th Re-elected June 9, 1949
45th Re-elected May 26, 1953
Resigned April 13, 1954
14th Harold Connolly
(Liberal)		 April 13, 1954
September 30, 1954		 Designated April 13, 1954
Resigned September 30, 1954
15th Henry D. Hicks
(Liberal)		 September 30, 1954
November 20, 1956		 Designated September 30, 1954
16th Robert L. Stanfield
(Progressive Conservative)		 November 20, 1956
September 13, 1967		 46th Elected October 30, 1956
47th Re-elected June 7, 1960
48th Re-elected October 8, 1963
49th Elected May 30, 1967
17th George I. Smith
(Progressive Conservative)		 September 13, 1967
October 28, 1970		 Designated September 13, 1967
18th Gerald A. Regan
(Liberal)		 October 28, 1970
October 5, 1978		 50th Elected October 13, 1970
51st Re-elected April 2, 1974
John M Buchanan.jpg 19th John Buchanan
(Progressive Conservative)		 October 5, 1978
September 12, 1990		 52nd Elected September 19, 1978
53rd Re-elected October 6, 1981
54th Re-elected November 6, 1984
55th Re-elected September 6, 1988
Resigned September 12, 1990
20th Roger Bacon
(Progressive Conservative)		 September 12, 1990
February 26, 1991		 Designated September 12, 1990
Resigned February 26, 1991
21st Donald W. Cameron
(Progressive Conservative)		 February 26, 1991
June 11, 1993		 Designated February 26, 1991
Resigned June 11, 1993
22nd John Savage
(Liberal)		 June 11, 1993
July 18, 1997		 56th Elected May 25, 1993
Resigned July 18, 1997
Russell MacLellan.jpg 23rd Russell MacLellan
(Liberal)		 July 18, 1997
August 16, 1999		 Designated July 18, 1997
57th Elected March 24, 1998 to a minority government
Jhamm03election.JPG 24th John F. Hamm
(Progressive Conservative)		 August 16, 1999
February 24, 2006		 58th Elected July 27, 1999
59th Re-elected August 5, 2003 to a minority government
Resigned February 24, 2006
Rodneyconvention001.JPG 25th Rodney MacDonald
(Progressive Conservative)		 February 24, 2006
June 19, 2009		 Designated February 24, 2006 to a minority government
60th Re-elected June 13, 2006 to a minority government
Darrell Dexter 2.jpg 26th Darrell Dexter
(New Democrat)		 June 19, 2009
Incumbent		 61st Elected June 9, 2009

Living former premiers

As of January 2010, seven former premiers are alive, the oldest being Roger S. Bacon (1990–1991, born 1926). The most recent premier to die was Robert Stanfield (1956–1967), on December 16, 2003. The most recently-serving premier to die was John Savage (1993–1997), on May 13, 2003.

Name Term Date of birth
Gerald Regan 1970–1978 February 13, 1928 (1928-02-13) (age 83)
John Buchanan 1978–1990 April 22, 1931 (1931-04-22) (age 79)
Roger S. Bacon 1990–1991 June 29, 1926 (1926-06-29) (age 84)
Donald W. Cameron 1991–1993 May 20, 1946 (1946-05-20) (age 64)
Russell MacLellan 1997–1999 January 16, 1940 (1940-01-16) (age 71)
John Hamm 1999–2006 April 8, 1938 (1938-04-08) (age 72)
Rodney MacDonald 2006–2009 January 2, 1972 (1972-01-02) (age 39)

Notes

  1. ↑ Before Nova Scotia had its own system of responsible government, 18 assemblies had already existed.
  2. ↑ There was no 21st Assembly. Due to an error made in 1860, the 21st Assembly was referred to as the 22nd, and this mistake has been perpetuated in the numbering of future assemblies.

References

General
Specific
  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Nova Scotia". Library and Archives Canada. 2005-05-02. http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/confederation/023001-2125-e.html. Retrieved 2008-11-11. 
  2. ↑ "Bill C-16: An Act to amend the Canada Elections Act". Parliament of Canada. http://www.parl.gc.ca/common/bills_ls.asp?lang=E&ls=c16&source=library_prb&Parl=39&Ses=1. Retrieved 2008-11-11. 

External links

Lists of Canadian first ministers
Federal
Canada • Province of Canada (historical)
Provincial
Current · History · British Columbia • Alberta • Saskatchewan • Manitoba • Ontario • Quebec • New Brunswick • Prince Edward Island • Nova Scotia • Newfoundland and Labrador
Territorial
Yukon • Northwest Territories • Nunavut
Portal Portal:Canadian politics
Politics of Nova Scotia
The Crown
Sovereign • Queen Elizabeth II
 Coat of Arms of Nova Scotia.svg
Lieutenant-Governor
Mayann E. Francis • Former lieutenant-governors
Premier
Darrell Dexter • Former premiers • Executive Council (Cabinet)
Opposition Leader
Stephen McNeil • Former Opposition Leaders
House of Assembly
Current members • Past General Assemblies
Speaker of the Assembly
Charlie Parker • Former Speakers
Political parties
Progressive Conservative • Liberal • New Democratic • Green • Atlantica
Elections
2009 general election • Past elections
Current issues:
Equalization payments
Other provinces and territories
BC • AB • SK • MB • ON • QC • NB • NS • PEI • NL • YU • NT • NU