The 2021 Nova Scotia Liberal Party leadership election took place on February 6 to elect a leader to replace Premier Stephen McNeil, who on August 6, 2020, announced his pending resignation after leading the party since 2007 and returning the party to government in 2013 after being out of power for fourteen years.

Background

Stephen McNeil announced on August 6, 2020, pending resignation as party leader and premier, during the COVID-19 pandemic in Nova Scotia. McNeil remained as Premier and leader until the new leader was chosen.

Timeline

2020 August 6 – Stephen McNeil announces his pending resignation as Premier of Nova Scotia and leader of the Nova Scotia Liberal Party. August 22 – The party unveils the base set of rules for the election. September 14 – The official rules for the leadership election will be released. September 30 – Labi Kousoulis declares his candidacy. October 5 – Iain Rankin declares his candidacy. October 8 – Randy Delorey declares his candidacy. October 9 – Last day to register as a candidate.

2021 January 7 – Last day to become an eligible party member.

Candidates

Declared

Randy Delorey

Randy Delorey was the MLA for Antigonish, having served since 2013. Prior to announcing his candidacy, Delorey had been serving as Minister of Gaelic Affairs since 2013 and the Minister of Health and Wellness since 2017. Previously, he has served as the Minister of the Environment (2013–2015; 2015–2016) and as Minister of Finance and Treasury Board (2015–2017).

Candidacy announced: October 9, 2020 Date registered with Elections Nova Scotia: Campaign website:

Policies

Labi Kousoulis

Labi Kousoulis was the MLA for Halifax Citadel-Sable Island, having served since 2013. Additionally, he was the Minister of Labour and Advanced Education since 2017, having resigned to run in the leadership race. He previously served as the Minister of the Public Service Commission (2013–2017) and Minister of Internal Services (2014–2017).

Candidacy announced: September 30, 2020 Date registered with Elections Nova Scotia: Campaign website:

Policies

Iain Rankin

Iain Rankin was the MLA for Timberlea-Prospect, having served since 2013. Rankin served in cabinet as the Minister of Lands and Forestry since 2018, having resigned prior to announcing his candidacy. In addition, he previously served as Minister of Environment from 2017 to 2018 and was head of the Nova Scotia francophone parliamentarian association from 2014 to 2017.

Candidacy announced: October 5, 2020 Date registered with Elections Nova Scotia: Campaign website:

Policies

Declined Joanne Bernard, former Minister of Community Services; former MLA for Dartmouth North Scott Brison, former MP for Kings—Hants; former federal Minister of Public Works and Government Services; former federal President of the Treasury Board Bill Casey, former MP for Cumberland-Colchester (1988–1993, 1997–2009, 2015–2019), former Chair of the House of Commons Health Committee Zach Churchill, Minister of Education and Early Childhood Development; MLA for Yarmouth Sean Fraser, MP for Central Nova Andy Fillmore, MP for Halifax Laurie Graham, chief of staff to Stephen McNeil Bernadette Jordan, federal Minister of Fisheries, Oceans, and the Canadian Coast Guard; former federal Minister of Rural Economic Development; MP for South Shore—St. Margarets Geoff MacLellan, Minister of Business, Trade, and Service; MLA for Glace Bay Lena Metlege Diab, Minister of Immigration; MLA for Halifax Armdale Kelly Regan, Minister of Community Services; MLA for Bedford; wife of former Speaker of the House of Commons of Canada Geoff Regan Darrell Samson, federal Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Veterans Affairs; MP for Sackville-Preston-Chezzetcook Mike Savage, Mayor of Halifax; former MP for Dartmouth—Cole Harbour

Debates + Debates among candidates for the 2021 Liberal Party of Nova Scotia leadership election No. Date Time Place Participants Participant Non-invitee Absent invitee Out of race (exploring or withdrawn)Iain RankinLabi KousoulisRandy Delorey Nova Scotia Liberal Party leadership election debates1 December 7, 2020 7 p.m. AST Virtual2 December 17, 2020 7 p.m. AST Virtual3 January 6, 2021 7 p.m. AST Virtual

Results = Eliminated from next round = Winner

CandidateBallot 1Ballot 2NameVotesPointsVotesPointsIain Rankin3,07539.02%2,206.0040.11%3,98852.31%2,882.3152.41%Labi Kousoulis2,90435.71%2,023.6936.79%3,63647.69%2,617.6947.59%Randy Delorey1,89524.05%1,270.3123.10% Eliminated TOTAL 7,8815,5007,6245,500

Ballot 1 Ballot 2 RidingIain RankinLabi KousoulisRandy DeloreyTotalIain RankinLabi KousoulisTotal Votes Points Votes Points Votes Points Votes Votes Points Votes Points VotesAnnapolis 5244.443429.063126.501176354.315345.69116Antigonish 12136.453510.5417653.0133221470.868829.14302Argyle 2932.222426.673741.11904047.064552.9485Bedford Basin 7327.5510037.749234.7226512950.9912449.01253Bedford South6923.5510836.8611639.5929311544.9214155.08256Cape Breton Centre-Whitney Pier4853.933033.711112.36895562.503337.5088Cape Breton East5952.213228.322219.471137466.073833.93112Chester-St. Margaret's7745.565431.953822.491699757.407242.60169Clare2945.312640.63914.06643454.842845.1662Clayton Park West9724.7415740.0513835.2039216643.6821456.32380Colchester-Musquodoboit Valley3339.293946.431214.29843542.174857.8383Colchester North4040.823030.612828.57985456.844143.1695Cole Harbour1627.592543.101729.31582341.823258.1855Cole Harbour-Dartmouth4223.338547.225329.441807341.9510158.05174Cumberland North3651.432231.431217.14704361.432738.5770Cumberland South2030.774061.5457.69652436.924163.0865Dartmouth East4427.166741.365131.481627044.598755.41157Dartmouth North3429.316152.592118.101164338.057061.95113Dartmouth South7447.745535.482616.771558655.846844.16154Digby-Annapolis1318.313143.662738.03713451.523248.4866Eastern Passage1616.492727.845455.67973234.046265.9694Eastern Shore5355.212829.171515.63965861.053738.9595Fairview-Clayton Park4718.5015862.204919.292547028.2317871.77248Glace Bay-Dominion2727.273131.314141.41994247.734652.2788Guysborough-Tracadie2438.102641.271320.63632947.543252.4661Halifax Armdale7427.9213651.325520.752659336.4716263.53255Halifax Atlantic7448.055535.712516.231548656.956543.05151Halifax Chebucto7530.1213453.824016.062499639.5114760.49243Halifax Citadel-Sable Island10227.5719352.167520.2737013738.2722161.73358Halifax Needham10141.2211245.713213.0624511948.9712451.03243Hammonds Plains-Lucasville7748.733421.524729.7515810668.834831.17154Hants East10256.352413.265530.3918112571.435028.57175Hants West5958.422322.771918.811016868.693131.3199Inverness9562.501912.503825.0015212181.212818.79149Kings North7261.023529.66119.321188068.383731.62117Kings South10476.471913.97139.5613611082.712317.29133Kings West3942.862830.772426.37914855.173944.8387Lunenburg3129.812423.084947.121045152.584647.4297Lunenburg West4451.162933.721315.12864754.653943.3586Northside-Westmount4549.453841.7688.79914954.444145.5690Pictou Centre2820.448360.582618.981374533.588966.42134Pictou East2831.114853.331415.56903438.645461.3688Pictou West3843.183135.231921.59884653.494046.5186Preston2531.254353.751215.00802836.364963.6477Queens2245.831735.42918.75482654.172245.8348Richmond3530.704741.233228.071144943.366456.64113Sackville-Cobequid3031.584749.471818.95954043.015356.9993Sackville-Uniacke1520.554358.901520.55732130.884769.1268Shelburne2858.33918.751122.92483266.671633.3348Sydney-Membertou9141.9411251.61146.452179745.3311754.67214Timberlea-Prospect23976.605016.03237.3731224981.115818.89307Truro-Bible Hill-Millbrook-Salmon River4634.076245.932720.001355743.517456.49131Victoria-The Lakes3947.562732.931619.5824961.253138.7580Waverley-Fall River-Beaver Bank3835.513936.453028.041075350.485249.52105Yarmouth10668.391811.613120.0015512379.873120.13154

References