The leader of the Opposition () in Nova Scotia is the MLA in the Nova Scotia House of Assembly who leads the political party recognized as the Official Opposition. This status generally goes to the leader of the second largest party in the Legislative Assembly. Claudia Chender, the leader of the Nova Scotia New Democratic Party, is the current leader of the opposition.
Since 1928, when its upper house, the Legislative Council of Nova Scotia was abolished, the province has had a unicameral parliamentary government. From Confederation, however, Nova Scotia has exclusively followed the modern Westminster convention whereby 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 (1847–1866)
Picture Name Party Term || James W. Johnston Conservative1848–1857 || || William Young Liberal 1857–1860 || James W. Johnston Conservative 1860–1864 || || A.G. Archibald Liberal 1864–1867
Leaders of the opposition of the Province of Nova Scotia, since Confederation (1867–present)
Picture Name Party Term || || Hiram Blanchard Liberal Conservative 1867–1874 || || Simon H. Holmes Conservative 1875–1878 || || N/ALiberal 1879–1882 || || Adam C. Bell Liberal Conservative 1883–1886 || || William McKay Liberal Conservative 1887–1890 || || C.H. Cahan Liberal Conservative 1891–1894 || || William McKay Liberal Conservative 1895–1897 || || Charles S. Wilcox Liberal Conservative 1898–1901 || || Charles E. Tanner Liberal Conservative 1902–1908 || || Charles S. Wilcox Liberal Conservative 1909 || || John M. Baillie Liberal Conservative 1910–1911 || || Charles E. Tanner Liberal Conservative 1912–1916 || || W.L. Hall Liberal Conservative 1917–1920 || || Daniel G. McKenzie United Farmers/Labour 1921–1925 || || William Chisholm Liberal 1926–1930 || || Alexander S. MacMillan Liberal 1931–1933 || || Gordon S. Harrington Conservative 1934–1937 || || Percy C. Black Conservative 1938–1939 || || Fred M. Blois Conservative 1940 || || Leonard W. Fraser Conservative 1941 || || Fred M. Blois Conservative 1942–1945 || || Russell Cunningham CCF 1946–1949 || || Robert L. Stanfield Progressive Conservative 1950–1956 || || Henry D. Hicks Liberal 1957–1960 || || Earl W. Urquhart Liberal 1961–1963 || || Peter M. Nicholson Liberal 1964–1967 || || Gerald A. Regan Liberal 1968–1970 || || George I. Smith Progressive Conservative 1970–1971 || || John Buchanan Progressive Conservative 1971–1978 || || Gerald A. Regan Liberal 1978–1979 || || Benoit Comeau Liberal 1980 || || A.M. (Sandy) Cameron Liberal 1980–1984 || || Vincent MacLean Liberal 1985 || || Bill Gillis Liberal 1985–1986 || || Vincent MacLean Liberal 1986–1992 || || Bill Gillis Liberal 1992–1993 || || Terrence Donahoe Progressive Conservative 1993–1995 || || John Hamm Progressive Conservative 1995–1998 || || Robert Chisholm New Democratic Party 1998–1999 || || Robert Chisholm (NDP), Russell MacLellan (Liberal), Wayne Gaudet (Liberal)Duties shared between Liberals and NDP1999–2001 || || John MacDonell New Democratic Party 2001 || || Darrell Dexter New Democratic Party 2001–2009 || || Stephen McNeil Liberal 2009–2013 || || Jamie BaillieProgressive Conservative2013–2018 || || Karla MacFarlaneProgressive Conservative2018 || || Tim HoustonProgressive Conservative2018–2021 || || Iain RankinLiberal2021–2022 || || Zach ChurchillLiberal 2022–2024 || || Claudia ChenderNew Democratic Party 2024–present
References