Graham Steele
Encyclopedia
Graham Steele is Nova Scotia's
Minister of Finance and Minister of Acadian Affairs
in Darrell Dexter's
Cabinet
. As a member of the Nova Scotia House of Assembly
in Halifax, Nova Scotia
, Canada
, he represents the constituency of Halifax Fairview
. He is a member of the NDP
caucus.
Steele attended the University of Manitoba
and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts
with a Major in Political Studies, and a Minor in French. He was recipient of the Governor General's Gold Medal
. A Rhodes Scholar, Steele then attended Oxford University at St Edmund Hall, Oxford with a focus on Philosophy, Politics, and Economics (PPE)
. He graduated in 1986.
In 1986, Steele moved to Halifax
to attend Dalhousie Law School
. After graduating in 1989, he practised law with Stewart McKelvey Stirling Scales in Halifax, then in 1993 he became General Counsel
to the Nova Scotia Workers' Compensation
Board.
In 1998, he accepted the position of Research Director for the Nova Scotia New Democratic Party Caucus
office.
Steele first ran for political office in the Halifax Fairview by-election
of March 2001. He won the seat with 58.17% of the vote. He retained the seat in the 2003 General Election
(45.85%) the 2006 General Election
(58.51%) and the 2009 General Election, where he received 63.71% of the vote.
Prior to becoming a cabinet minister, Steele served as the New Democratic Caucus' critic
for Finance, Environment, Acadian Affairs
, The Insurance
Act, and the Treasury and Policy Board. He was also the Deputy House Leader. He sat on the Legislature's Select Committee on Democratic Participation and on the Legislature's Public Accounts Committee and was its past Chair
.
Steele has done workshops in Montenegro
, Bosnia and Herzegovina
, Kosovo
and the Middle East
for the National Democratic Institute for International Affairs
.
Steele is an Esperantist, offering part of his legislative website in Esperanto
, and has commemorated Nova Scotia Esperantists in the House of Assembly.
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
Minister of Finance and Minister of Acadian Affairs
Acadia
Acadia was the name given to lands in a portion of the French colonial empire of New France, in northeastern North America that included parts of eastern Quebec, the Maritime provinces, and modern-day Maine. At the end of the 16th century, France claimed territory stretching as far south as...
in Darrell Dexter's
Darrell Dexter
Darrell Dexter is a Canadian lawyer, journalist and former naval officer who is serving as the 27th and current Premier of the Canadian province of Nova Scotia. A member of the New Democratic Party, he has led the Nova Scotia NDP since 2001. He was elected Premier in 2009 after defeating...
Cabinet
Executive Council of Nova Scotia
The Executive Council of Nova Scotia is the cabinet of that Canadian province....
. As a member of the Nova Scotia House of Assembly
Nova Scotia House of Assembly
The Nova Scotia Legislature, consisting of Her Majesty The Queen represented by the Lieutenant Governor and the House of Assembly, is the legislative branch of the provincial government of Nova Scotia, Canada...
in Halifax, Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, he represents the constituency of Halifax Fairview
Halifax Fairview
Halifax Fairview is a provincial electoral district in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, that elects one member of the Nova Scotia House of Assembly.It was created in the re-distribution of 1993...
. He is a member of the NDP
Nova Scotia New Democratic Party
The Nova Scotia New Democratic Party is a social-democratic provincial party in Nova Scotia, Canada. It is aligned with the federal New Democratic Party . Originally founded as the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation in 1932, it became the New Democratic Party in 1961. It became the governing...
caucus.
Steele attended the University of Manitoba
University of Manitoba
The University of Manitoba , in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, is the largest university in the province of Manitoba. It is Manitoba's most comprehensive and only research-intensive post-secondary educational institution. It was founded in 1877, making it Western Canada’s first university. It placed...
and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
with a Major in Political Studies, and a Minor in French. He was recipient of the Governor General's Gold Medal
Governor General's Academic Medal
The Governor General's Academic Medal is awarded to the student graduating with the highest grade point average from a Canadian high school, college or university program...
. A Rhodes Scholar, Steele then attended Oxford University at St Edmund Hall, Oxford with a focus on Philosophy, Politics, and Economics (PPE)
Philosophy, Politics, and Economics
Philosophy, politics, and economics is a popular interdisciplinary undergraduate/graduate degree which combines study from the three disciplines...
. He graduated in 1986.
In 1986, Steele moved to Halifax
City of Halifax
Halifax is a city in Canada, which was the capital of the province of Nova Scotia and shire town of Halifax County. It was the largest city in Atlantic Canada until it was amalgamated into Halifax Regional Municipality in 1996...
to attend Dalhousie Law School
Dalhousie Law School
The Schulich School of Law is part of Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. Formerly called Dalhousie Law School, it was established in 1883, making it the oldest university-affiliated common law school in the Commonwealth. It is the primary law school in Atlantic Canada and...
. After graduating in 1989, he practised law with Stewart McKelvey Stirling Scales in Halifax, then in 1993 he became General Counsel
General Counsel
A general counsel is the chief lawyer of a legal department, usually in a corporation or government department. The term is most used in the United States...
to the Nova Scotia Workers' Compensation
Workers' compensation
Workers' compensation is a form of insurance providing wage replacement and medical benefits to employees injured in the course of employment in exchange for mandatory relinquishment of the employee's right to sue his or her employer for the tort of negligence...
Board.
In 1998, he accepted the position of Research Director for the Nova Scotia New Democratic Party Caucus
Caucus
A caucus is a meeting of supporters or members of a political party or movement, especially in the United States and Canada. As the use of the term has been expanded the exact definition has come to vary among political cultures.-Origin of the term:...
office.
Steele first ran for political office in the Halifax Fairview by-election
By-election
A by-election is an election held to fill a political office that has become vacant between regularly scheduled elections....
of March 2001. He won the seat with 58.17% of the vote. He retained the seat in the 2003 General Election
Nova Scotia general election, 2003
The 36th Nova Scotia general election was held on August 5, 2003 to elect members of the 59th House of Assembly of the Province of Nova Scotia, Canada...
(45.85%) the 2006 General Election
Nova Scotia general election, 2006
The 37th 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....
(58.51%) and the 2009 General Election, where he received 63.71% of the vote.
Prior to becoming a cabinet minister, Steele served as the New Democratic Caucus' critic
Shadow Cabinet
The Shadow Cabinet is a senior group of opposition spokespeople in the Westminster system of government who together under the leadership of the Leader of the Opposition form an alternative cabinet to the government's, whose members shadow or mark each individual member of the government...
for Finance, Environment, Acadian Affairs
Acadia
Acadia was the name given to lands in a portion of the French colonial empire of New France, in northeastern North America that included parts of eastern Quebec, the Maritime provinces, and modern-day Maine. At the end of the 16th century, France claimed territory stretching as far south as...
, The Insurance
Insurance
In law and economics, insurance is a form of risk management primarily used to hedge against the risk of a contingent, uncertain loss. Insurance is defined as the equitable transfer of the risk of a loss, from one entity to another, in exchange for payment. An insurer is a company selling the...
Act, and the Treasury and Policy Board. He was also the Deputy House Leader. He sat on the Legislature's Select Committee on Democratic Participation and on the Legislature's Public Accounts Committee and was its past Chair
Chair (official)
The chairman is the highest officer of an organized group such as a board, committee, or deliberative assembly. The person holding the office is typically elected or appointed by the members of the group. The chairman presides over meetings of the assembled group and conducts its business in an...
.
Steele has done workshops in Montenegro
Montenegro
Montenegro Montenegrin: Crna Gora Црна Гора , meaning "Black Mountain") is a country located in Southeastern Europe. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea to the south-west and is bordered by Croatia to the west, Bosnia and Herzegovina to the northwest, Serbia to the northeast and Albania to the...
, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina , sometimes called Bosnia-Herzegovina or simply Bosnia, is a country in Southern Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula. Bordered by Croatia to the north, west and south, Serbia to the east, and Montenegro to the southeast, Bosnia and Herzegovina is almost landlocked, except for the...
, Kosovo
Kosovo
Kosovo is a region in southeastern Europe. Part of the Ottoman Empire for more than five centuries, later the Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija within Serbia...
and the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
for the National Democratic Institute for International Affairs
National Democratic Institute for International Affairs
The National Democratic Institute for International Affairs is an organization created by the United States government by way of the National Endowment for Democracy to channel grants for furthering democracy in developing nations. It was founded in 1983, shortly after the U.S. Congress created...
.
Steele is an Esperantist, offering part of his legislative website in Esperanto
Esperanto
is the most widely spoken constructed international auxiliary language. Its name derives from Doktoro Esperanto , the pseudonym under which L. L. Zamenhof published the first book detailing Esperanto, the Unua Libro, in 1887...
, and has commemorated Nova Scotia Esperantists in the House of Assembly.