List of Nova Scotia Opposition Leaders
Encyclopedia
This is a list of Leaders of the Opposition party in the Nova Scotia Legislature, both as a colony and a Province of Canada. Like the Canadian federal government, Nova Scotia uses a unicameral Westminster-style parliamentary government, in which the leader of the opposition is the leader of the party that controls the second most seats in the House of Assembly.
Leaders of the Opposition of the colony of Nova Scotia (1848-1867)
| Name | Party | Term |
James W. Johnston | Conservative | 1848-1857 |
William Young William Young (politician) Sir William Young, KCB was a Nova Scotia politician and jurist.Born in Falkirk, the son of John Young and Agnes Renny, Young was first elected to the Nova Scotia House of Assembly in 1836 as a Reformer and, as a lawyer, defended Reform journalists accused of libel... |
Liberal | 1857-1860 |
James W. Johnston | Conservative | 1860-1864 |
A.G. Archibald Adams George Archibald Sir Adams George Archibald, KCMG, PC was a Canadian lawyer and politician, and a father of Confederation. He was based in Nova Scotia for most of his career, though he also served as 1st Lieutenant Governor of Manitoba from 1870 to 1872.Archibald was born in Truro to a prominent family in Nova... |
Liberal | 1864-1867 |
Leaders of the Opposition of the Province of Nova Scotia, since Confederation (1867)
| Name | Party | Term |
Hiram Blanchard Hiram Blanchard Hiram Blanchard was a Nova Scotia lawyer, politician, and the first Premier of the province of Nova Scotia. Blanchard won election to the Nova Scotia legislative assembly in Inverness in 1859 as a Liberal.... |
Liberal Conservative | 1867-1874 |
Simon H. Holmes | Conservative | 1875-1878 |
N/A | Liberal | 1879-1882 |
Adam C. Bell | Liberal Conservative | 1883-1886 |
William McKay | Liberal Conservative | 1887-1890 |
C.H. Cahan Charles Cahan Charles Hazlitt Cahan, PC, KC was a prominent Canadian lawyer, newspaper editor, businessman, and provincial and federal politician.... |
Liberal Conservative | 1891-1894 |
William McKay | Liberal Conservative | 1895-1897 |
Charles S. Wilcox Charles Smith Wilcox Charles Smith Wilcox was a merchant and politician in Nova Scotia, Canada. He represented Hants County in the Nova Scotia House of Assembly from 1894 to 1901 and from 1906 to 1909 as a Liberal-Conservative member.... |
Liberal Conservative | 1898-1901 |
Charles E. Tanner Charles Elliott Tanner Charles Elliott Tanner was a Canadian politician.Born in Pictou, Nova Scotia, the son of Richard Tanner and Janet Brown, Tanner was educated in the public schools of Pictou and Pictou Academy before being called to the bar and practicing law. He was created a King's Counsel in 1889... |
Liberal Conservative | 1902-1908 |
Charles S. Wilcox Charles Smith Wilcox Charles Smith Wilcox was a merchant and politician in Nova Scotia, Canada. He represented Hants County in the Nova Scotia House of Assembly from 1894 to 1901 and from 1906 to 1909 as a Liberal-Conservative member.... |
Liberal Conservative | 1909 |
J. M. Baillie | Liberal Conservative | 1910-1911 |
Charles E. Tanner Charles Elliott Tanner Charles Elliott Tanner was a Canadian politician.Born in Pictou, Nova Scotia, the son of Richard Tanner and Janet Brown, Tanner was educated in the public schools of Pictou and Pictou Academy before being called to the bar and practicing law. He was created a King's Counsel in 1889... |
Liberal Conservative | 1912-1916 |
W.L. Hall William Lorimer Hall William Lorimer Hall was a lawyer, judge and political figure in Nova Scotia, Canada. He represented Queen's County in the Nova Scotia House of Assembly as a Conservative member from 1910 to 1920 and from 1925 to 1931.... |
Liberal Conservative | 1917-1920 |
Daniel G. McKenzie Daniel George McKenzie Daniel George McKenzie was a farmer and political figure in Nova Scotia, Canada. He represented Cumberland County in the Nova Scotia House of Assembly from 1920 to 1933 as a United Farmers and then Liberal-Conservative member.He was born in Malagash, Nova Scotia, the son of Donald McKenzie... |
United Farmers/Labour | 1921-1925 |
William Chisholm William Chisholm (Nova Scotia politician) William Chisholm was a Canadian politician.Born in Heatherton, Antigonish County, Nova Scotia, Chisholm was educated at the Common School of Heatherton and graduated in Arts from the St. Francis Xavier College, Antigonish. He read law in the office of Colin F. Mclsaac, who was a member of the... |
Liberal | 1926-1930 |
Alexander S. MacMillan Alexander Stirling MacMillan Alexander S. MacMillan was a Nova Scotia politician and businessman, the provinces 13th Premier.MacMillan was born in Upper South River, Antigonish County. He made his fortune in lumbering and construction before being made chairman of the Nova Scotia Highways Board in 1920 and serving briefly as... |
Liberal | 1931-1933 |
Gordon S. Harrington Gordon Sidney Harrington Gordon Sidney Harrington was a Nova Scotia politician and the province's 11th Premier from 1930 to 1933.He was mayor of Glace Bay from 1913 to 1915 when he enlisted in the Canadian Expeditionary Force fighting in World War I... |
Conservative | 1934-1937 |
Percy C. Black | Conservative | 1938-1939 |
Fred M. Blois Frederick Murray Blois Frederick Murray Blois was a Canadian politician.Born in Gore District, Nova Scotia, he was a member of the Nova Scotia House of Assembly for eight years starting in 1937 and was Conservative Party leader and Leader of the Opposition from 1941 until the 1945 provincial election wiped out the... |
Conservative | 1940 |
Leonard W. Fraser | Conservative | 1941 |
Fred M. Blois Frederick Murray Blois Frederick Murray Blois was a Canadian politician.Born in Gore District, Nova Scotia, he was a member of the Nova Scotia House of Assembly for eight years starting in 1937 and was Conservative Party leader and Leader of the Opposition from 1941 until the 1945 provincial election wiped out the... |
Conservative | 1942-1945 |
Russell Cunningham Russell Cunningham (Canadian politician) Russell Cunningham was a Canadian social democratic politician from Cape Breton Island in Nova Scotia. He was the leader of the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation in Nova Scotia from 1945 until 1953... |
CCF Co-operative Commonwealth Federation The Co-operative Commonwealth Federation was a Canadian political party founded in 1932 in Calgary, Alberta, by a number of socialist, farm, co-operative and labour groups, and the League for Social Reconstruction... |
1946-1949 |
Robert L. Stanfield | Progressive Conservative | 1950-1956 |
Henry D. Hicks Henry Hicks Henry Davies Hicks was a lawyer, university administrator, and politician in Nova Scotia.He was born in Bridgetown, Nova Scotia, the son of Henry Hicks and Annie Kinney. Hicks was educated in Bridgetown and at Mount Allison University, Dalhousie University and Oxford University. He was admitted to... |
Liberal | 1957-1960 |
Earl Urquhart | Liberal | 1961-1963 |
Peter M. Nicholson Peter M. Nicholson Peter Murray Nicholson is a former political figure in Nova Scotia, Canada. He represented Annapolis West in the Nova Scotia House of Assembly from 1956 to 1978 as a Liberal member.- References :* Canadian Parliamentary Guide, 1984, PG Normandin... |
Liberal | 1964-1967 |
Gerald A. Regan | Liberal | 1968-1970 |
George I. Smith | Progressive Conservative | 1970-1971 |
John Buchanan John Buchanan John MacLennan Buchanan, PC, QC is a Canadian lawyer and former politician who served as the 20th Premier of Nova Scotia from 1978 to 1990 and as a member of the Senate of Canada from 1990 to 2006.-Early life:... |
Progressive Conservative | 1971-1978 |
Gerald A. Regan | Liberal | 1978-1979 |
Benoit Comeau | Liberal | 1980 |
A.M. (Sandy) Cameron Sandy Cameron A.M. "Sandy" Cameron was a Canadian politician and businessman. He served three terms in the Nova Scotia Provincial Legislature, representing the Guysborough Riding... |
Liberal | 1980-1984 |
Vincent MacLean Vincent MacLean Vincent James MacLean was leader of the Liberal Party of Nova Scotia in 1985 and again from 1986 to 1992. He was replaced by John Savage.... |
Liberal | 1985 |
Bill Gillis Bill Gillis John William Gillis , generally known as Bill Gillis, was a Canadian politician who served in the Nova Scotia House of Assembly from 1970 to 1998. He represented the electoral district of Antigonish for the Liberals.... |
Liberal | 1985-1986 |
Vincent MacLean Vincent MacLean Vincent James MacLean was leader of the Liberal Party of Nova Scotia in 1985 and again from 1986 to 1992. He was replaced by John Savage.... |
Liberal | 1986-1992 |
Bill Gillis Bill Gillis John William Gillis , generally known as Bill Gillis, was a Canadian politician who served in the Nova Scotia House of Assembly from 1970 to 1998. He represented the electoral district of Antigonish for the Liberals.... |
Liberal | 1992-1993 |
Terrence Donahoe Terry Donahoe Terence Richard Boyd Donahoe was a former Nova Scotia opposition leader, cabinet minister, and MLA.Donahoe was born in Halifax on Oct. 30, 1944, and came from a prominent political family... |
Progressive Conservative | 1993-1995 |
John Hamm John Hamm John Frederick Hamm, is a Canadian physician and politician and was the 25th Premier of Nova Scotia, Canada.Hamm, a graduate of the University of King's College and Dalhousie University, was a family doctor in his hometown of Stellarton, Nova Scotia, and the president of the Nova Scotia Medical... |
Progressive Conservative | 1995-1998 |
Robert Chisholm | New Democratic Party | 1998-1999 |
Robert Chisholm (NDP), Russel MacLellan (Liberal), Wayne Gaudet (Liberal) | Duties shared between Liberals and NDP | 1999-2001 |
John MacDonell John MacDonell (NDP) John MacDonell is a Member of the Legislative Assembly of Nova Scotia for the Nova Scotia New Democratic Party. He was first elected in the 1998 election, and was re-elected in 1999, 2003, 2006 and 2009... |
New Democratic Party | 2001 |
Darrell Dexter 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... |
New Democratic Party | 2001-2009 |
Stephen McNeil Stephen McNeil Stephen McNeil is a Nova Scotian politician representing the riding of Annapolis in the Nova Scotia House of Assembly and is the leader of the Nova Scotia Liberal Party.... |
Liberal | 2009-Present |