Stephen McNeil facts for kids

Quick facts for kids The Honourable Stephen McNeil
28th Premier of Nova Scotia
In office October 22, 2013 – February 23, 2021
Monarch	Elizabeth II
Lieutenant Governor	John J. Grant Arthur J. LeBlanc
Deputy	Karen Casey
Preceded by	Darrell Dexter
Succeeded by	Iain Rankin
Leader of the Opposition
In office June 19, 2009 – October 22, 2013
Preceded by	Darrell Dexter
Succeeded by	Jamie Baillie
Leader of the Nova Scotia Liberal Party
In office April 27, 2007 – February 6, 2021
Preceded by	Michel Samson (interim)
Succeeded by	Iain Rankin
Member of the Nova Scotia House of Assembly for Annapolis
In office August 5, 2003 – May 3, 2021
Preceded by	Frank Chipman
Succeeded by	Carman Kerr
Personal details
Born	(1964-11-10) November 10, 1964 (age 60) Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
Political party	Liberal Party
Height	6 ft 7 in (201 cm)
Spouse	Andrea
Children	2
Occupation	Politician

Stephen McNeil (born November 10, 1964) is a Canadian politician. He served as the 28th Premier of Nova Scotia from 2013 to 2021. The Premier is the head of the government in a Canadian province.

McNeil also represented the area of Annapolis in the Nova Scotia House of Assembly from 2003 to 2021. The House of Assembly is where laws are made for the province. He was also the leader of the Nova Scotia Liberal Party from 2007 to 2021.

Early Life and Business

Stephen McNeil was born in Halifax, Nova Scotia. He was the 12th of 17 children in his family. His mother, Theresa McNeil, was the first female high sheriff in Canada. She also received the Order of Nova Scotia, a special award.

McNeil studied at the Nova Scotia Community College. Before becoming a full-time politician, he owned a small business. He ran this business for 15 years, from 1988 to 2003.

Political Journey

Stephen McNeil first tried to become a politician in 1999 but was not elected. He tried again in 2003 and won a seat in the Nova Scotia House of Assembly. This was his first step into provincial politics.

Becoming Liberal Party Leader

On January 30, 2007, McNeil announced he would run to become the leader of the Nova Scotia Liberal Party. Many other politicians supported him. On April 28, 2007, at a special meeting in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, McNeil was chosen as the new leader. He won on the second round of voting.

Leading the Opposition

In the 2009 election, McNeil led the Liberal Party to become the Official Opposition. This means they were the main party not in power. They won 11 seats in the House of Assembly.

Becoming Premier

In the 2013 election, McNeil's party won a majority government. This means they won more than half of the seats. They defeated the NDP government.

In the 2017 election, his party won again. They kept a majority, but with fewer seats. They won 27 seats in the legislature.

On August 6, 2020, McNeil announced he would step down. He said he would resign as leader of the Liberal Party and as Premier in early 2021. Iain Rankin took over as Liberal leader on February 6, 2021. Rankin then became Premier on February 23, 2021.

As Premier of Nova Scotia

Stephen McNeil became Premier of Nova Scotia on October 22, 2013. He and his cabinet (a group of top government advisors) were sworn in. The ceremony took place in Annapolis Royal. This was the first time since 1954 that the swearing-in happened outside of Halifax.

McNeil's government was the first Liberal government in Nova Scotia in 14 years. Before their win, the Liberal Party had often been the third-place party.

Early Challenges

In their first year, McNeil's government faced some questions. One issue was about a job offer to a Liberal candidate. Some people said this was a return to "political patronage." This means giving jobs based on political connections, not just skills. However, the Premier's actions were found to be within the rules.

Another question was about a government contract given to McNeil's brother. Critics pointed out that his brother's company was not officially registered until after the contract bids closed. But Nova Scotia's Conflict of Interest Commissioner found no problem with the contract.

First Laws Passed

The first session of the legislature under McNeil was short. It lasted only 11 days. However, they passed three important laws.

• One law aimed to open the electricity market to more companies. This would allow renewable energy companies to sell power directly to people.
• Another law created a statutory holiday in February. A statutory holiday is a public holiday where most people get the day off work.
• They also passed a law to make government investments clearer and more responsible.
• A notable law banned the import of "fracking wastewater." This is water used in a drilling process called fracking.

Major Debates

The McNeil government faced several big debates in their first spring session.

• They passed a law that ended a strike by nurses in Halifax. This law was called "essential services legislation." It meant nurses had to go back to work because their services were considered vital. Some people thought this law took away workers' rights. The government said it was needed to protect health care.
• Another law removed a tax rebate for graduates. This rebate was given to students who stayed and worked in Nova Scotia. The government said the program was not working well.
• A third debate was about the film industry. The government planned to change how it supported film and TV projects. This caused many protests from artists and filmmakers. Because of the pressure, McNeil's government changed their plan. They created a new program called the Nova Scotia Film Production Incentive Fund.

The Liberals' first budget predicted a $279 million deficit. A deficit means the government spends more money than it collects. The budget included money to limit class sizes and hire more doctors. They also removed interest on Nova Scotia student loans for graduates who stayed in the province. They also created a fund called "Invest Nova Scotia" to help create jobs.