Tim Houston
Tim Houston | |
---|---|
File:TimHouston2020 (cropped).jpg Houston in 2020 | |
30th Premier of Nova Scotia | |
Assumed office August 31, 2021[1] | |
Monarchs | |
Lieutenant Governor | Arthur LeBlanc |
Deputy | Allan MacMaster |
Preceded by | Iain Rankin |
Leader of the Opposition | |
In office October 27, 2018 – August 31, 2021[2] | |
Preceded by | Karla MacFarlane |
Succeeded by | Iain Rankin |
Leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Nova Scotia | |
Assumed office October 27, 2018 | |
Preceded by | Jamie Baillie |
Member of the Nova Scotia House of Assembly for Pictou East | |
Assumed office October 8, 2013 | |
Preceded by | Clarrie MacKinnon |
Personal details | |
Born | Timothy Jerome Houston[3] April 10, 1970[4][5] Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada[6] |
Political party | Progressive Conservative |
Spouse | Carol Houston |
Alma mater | Saint Mary's University (BCom) |
Occupation | Politician |
Website | Official website |
Timothy Jerome Houston MLA FCPA (born April 10, 1970) is a Canadian politician who is the 30th and current premier of Nova Scotia since 2021. He was first elected to the Nova Scotia House of Assembly in the 2013 provincial election. A member of the Progressive Conservative Party of Nova Scotia, he represents the electoral district of Pictou East.[7] Houston also served as the leader of the opposition from 2018 to 2021.[8] He and the Progressive Conservative party won a majority government in the 2021 Nova Scotia general election, becoming the first Progressive Conservative premier since 2009.[9]
Career
Born in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Houston lived in several different places around the world as his father was in the military. His family eventually re-settled in Halifax and Houston attended Halifax West High School.
Houston attended Saint Mary's University, graduating in 1992 with a Bachelor of Commerce.[10] He then moved to Bermuda, working there as a consultant from 1995 to 2007.[11] Houston then worked as a chartered accountant and as a financial consultant with Deloitte. On November 2, 2020, he was awarded[12] the profession’s highest mark of distinction, the Fellow (FCPA) designation, by Chartered Professional Accountants of Nova Scotia.
Political career
On November 27, 2012, Houston won the Progressive Conservative nomination in the riding of Pictou East for the 2013 Nova Scotia general election.[11]
He was elected MLA of Pictou East on October 8, 2013, with 48.08% of the vote.
Houston was re-elected on May 30, 2017 with 73.88% of the vote.
On November 19, 2017, Houston announced his candidacy for the leadership of the Progressive Conservative Party of Nova Scotia.[13][14] Houston was elected leader of the Progressive Conservative Party after the first ballot results were announced on October 27, 2018, at the Party's Leadership Convention in Halifax.[15] Houston earned 48.96% of the points on the first ballot, leaving other candidates no clear path to victory. The other candidates conceded after the first ballot.[15]
Houston has been publicly open to the option of fracking in Nova Scotia, a controversial stance.[16] He has said as Leader of the Opposition, he would not criticize the Government without offering his own ideas[17][18] in response.
2021 provincial election
The incumbent Liberals held a 75% approval rating in June 2021.[19] In an upset,[20] Houston and the Progressive Conservative party won a majority government in the 2021 Nova Scotia general election, becoming the first Progressive Conservative premier since 2009. Houston ran on a Red Tory platform that promised more spending on health care.[21]
Premier of Nova Scotia
Houston and his cabinet were sworn in on August 31, 2021.[22]
Premiership
Healthcare system
Houston was elected on a platform to fix Nova Scotia's healthcare system.[23]
A day after being sworn in, Houston fired the CEO and board of the Nova Scotia Health Authority (NSHA), the provincial healthcare provider. He stated that he "needed a clean slate at the helm of his leadership team" for the Tories' intended overhaul of the healthcare system. Houston appointed a new NSHA board as well as a new CEO, Karen Oldfield, who possessed no healthcare experience. Critics drew attention to the lack of diversity of the new board, as the first and only Black and Indigenous board members were both dismissed.[24]
The Houston government lifted Nova Scotia's Covid-19 measures in March 2022, including public health restrictions and mask requirements. Infectious disease experts questioned the move and predicted a rise in cases.[25][26] In May 2022, the government lifted mask requirements in public schools.[27] In July 2022, the government ended the requirement for those infected with Covid-19 to isolate.[28] The lifting of pandemic precautions led to a surge in the disease (and associated deaths) and strained the healthcare system.[29]
By mid-2022, Nova Scotia's family doctor waitlist hit an all-time high of 100,000, prompting opposition leaders to accuse Houston of breaking his campaign promise to fix healthcare.[23]
Crown corporations
Shortly after taking office, Houston launched a review of 20 provincial Crown corporations to "[ensure] the most efficient and accountable methodology for the undertaking of their respective tasks".[30]
In July 2022, the Houston government announced a reshuffle of several agencies. Nova Scotia Lands and Develop Nova Scotia will be merged to form a new corporation called Build Nova Scotia. Innovacorp, Nova Scotia Business Inc. (NSBI), and the Invest Nova Scotia Fund will be merged into the new Invest Nova Scotia. Decision-making power was removed from boards, with the organisations placed under direct government control: Invest Nova Scotia will report directly to the minister of economic development, while Build Nova Scotia will be overseen by the minister for public works. Existing CEOs and boards were sacked.[31]
Houston was accused of nepotism after appointing "personal friends" as interim CEOs of the two new agencies; Tom Hickey will lead Invest Nova Scotia, while Wayne Crawley will head Build Nova Scotia.[32] Each will receive up to $18,000 a month in remuneration.[31] Nova Scotia NDP leader Claudia Chender criticised Houston for hiring friends rather than putting the posts to open competition. Houston defended the appointments, stating that Hickey and Crawley were the most qualified.[32] Hickey resigned two weeks into his appointment, citing an inability to commit enough time to the role.[33]
Art gallery
Citing rising costs, Houston announced in July 2022 an indefinite "pause" to plans to construct a new Art Gallery of Nova Scotia. Construction was supposed to begin in late 2022 on a new gallery complex, designed by Halifax architect Omar Gandhi, on the Halifax waterfront.[34]
Personal life
Houston lives in Pictou County with his wife Carol, and children Paget and Zachary.[35]
In 2017, it came to light that his name had been mentioned several times in the Paradise Papers.[36] because he held management positions with Bermuda-based reinsurance companies while living and working in Bermuda,[36] where he was listed as director and vice-president of Inter-Ocean Holdings and several related companies.[37]
Bills introduced
Assembly | Act Title | Date |
---|---|---|
Assembly 62, Session 1 | Lyme Disease Strategy Act | April 10, 2014 |
Assembly 62, Session 2 | Red Tape Reduction Act | September 29, 2014 |
Assembly 62, Session 2 | Transparency in Ministers' Expenses Act | April 21, 2015 |
Assembly 62, Session 2 | Cayley's Law | May 17, 2016 |
Assembly 62, Session 2 | Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Act | May 5, 2016 |
Assembly 62, Session 2 | Education Fund Protection Act | October 16, 2017 |
Electoral record
2021 Nova Scotia general election | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | ||||
Progressive Conservative | Tim Houston | 4,918 | 69.68 | -4.20 | ||||
Liberal | Joe MacDonald | 1,585 | 22.46 | +4.24 | ||||
New Democratic | Joy Polley | 500 | 7.08 | -0.82 | ||||
Atlantica | Jonathan Geoffrey Dean | 55 | 0.78 | |||||
Total valid votes | 7,058 | 99.62 | ||||||
Total rejected ballots | 27 | 0.38 | ||||||
Turnout | 7,085 | 61.44 | ||||||
Eligible voters | 11,532 | |||||||
Progressive Conservative hold | Swing | -4.22 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Progressive Conservative | Tim Houston | 5,275 | 73.88 | +25.83 | |
Liberal | John Fraser | 1,301 | 18.22 | +2.33 | |
New Democratic Party | Deborah Stiles | 564 | 7.90 | -28.17 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Progressive Conservative | Tim Houston | 3,713 | 48.04 | +22.11 | |
New Democratic Party | Clarrie MacKinnon | 2,788 | 36.07 | -27.91 | |
Liberal | Francois Rochon | 1,228 | 15.89 | +7.50 |
References
- ^ "N.S. Premier-designate Tim Houston, new cabinet to be sworn-in Aug. 31". CTV News Atlantic. August 20, 2021. Retrieved November 3, 2021.
- ^ https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/nova-scotia-premier-cabinet-swearing-in-ceremony-1.6159449[bare URL]
- ^ "District 40: Pictou East". CBC.ca. CBC. April 23, 2013. Retrieved March 10, 2019.
- ^ "PC leadership Q&A: Tim Houston". Cape Breton Post. October 25, 2018. Retrieved March 10, 2019.
- ^ "Nova Scotia PC Party on Twitter: "Happy Birthday to MLA for Pictou East, @TimHoustonNS!"". Twitter.com. Twitter. April 10, 2018. Retrieved March 10, 2019.
- ^ MacInnis, Adam; Adshade, Kevin (October 31, 2018). "Pictou County's history of Tory leadership". NG News. Retrieved March 10, 2019.
- ^ "Tories take Pictou County ridings back from NDP". The Chronicle Herald. October 8, 2013. Retrieved July 20, 2015.
- ^ "Tim Houston - MLA for Pictou East - PC Party of NS". PC Party NS. Retrieved April 16, 2018.
- ^ "Canada loses its bid for seat on UN Security Council | CBC News".
- ^ Musick, Sueann (September 16, 2013). "PC's Houston aims to knock on every door". NG News.
- ^ a b "Pictou East PC nominee wants riding to have voice in Halifax". March 10, 2019. NG News. November 29, 2012. Retrieved March 10, 2019.
- ^ "CPA Nova Scotia Awards Prestigious Fellow Designation to Seven Professional Accountants". www.cpans.ca. Retrieved January 3, 2021.
- ^ "'Time to win': Tim Houston running for PC Party leader". CBC News. November 19, 2017. Retrieved November 22, 2017.
- ^ "Tim Houston announces bid for PC leadership". The Chronicle Herald. November 20, 2017. Retrieved March 31, 2021.
- ^ a b "Houston surges to victory in PC leadership race". CBC News. October 27, 2018. Retrieved February 20, 2019.
- ^ "Delays on Nova Scotia fracking regulations could be political". CBC News. June 15, 2016. Retrieved May 27, 2019.
- ^ "Universal Mental Health Care". PC Party of Nova Scotia. Retrieved January 3, 2021.
- ^ "Dignity for our Seniors". PC Party of Nova Scotia. Retrieved January 3, 2021.
- ^ "TARRANT: Lessons from Nova Scotia's historic election".
- ^ "Tories surge to upset majority win in N.S. Election with a campaign focused on health". August 17, 2021.
- ^ "N.B. Should be on 'alert' as new N.S. Premier promises more health care spending: Union". August 19, 2021.
- ^ "Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston, 18 ministers sworn into office".
- ^ a b Frisko, Bruce (July 12, 2022). "Nova Scotia's doctor waitlist hits all-time high at 100,000 people". CTV News.
- ^ Gorman, Michael (September 1, 2021). "N.S. premier, health minister fire provincial health authority CEO and board". CBC News.
- ^ Patil, Anjuli (February 23, 2022). "Nova Scotia to lift all COVID-19 restrictions by March 21". CBC.
- ^ Laroche, Jean (March 14, 2022). "Infectious disease expert sees no 'good scientific reason' for N.S. lifting mask mandate". CBC.
- ^ Renić, Karla (May 24, 2022). "'Mixed emotions' among N.S. teachers as mask mandate in public schools ends". Global News.
- ^ Chisholm, Cassidy (July 4, 2022). "N.S. to end mandatory isolation for people with COVID-19 starting July 6". CBC.
- ^ Lurie, Shira (July 28, 2022). "SHIRA LURIE: Nova Scotia's 'living with COVID' strategy backfires". SaltWire Network.
- ^ "Government Seeks Feedback on 20 Agencies, Boards and Crown Corporations". Province of Nova Scotia. February 1, 2022.
- ^ a b Gorman, Michael (July 26, 2022). "N.S. government cuts Crown corporations in quest for more efficient operations". CBC News.
- ^ a b Thomas, Jesse (July 29, 2022). "N.S. premier defends appointing business friends as Crown executive chairs". CTV News.
- ^ "Head of new N.S. Crown corporation resigns 2 weeks after appointment". CBC. August 10, 2022.
- ^ Smith, Simon (July 27, 2022). "Construction of new Art Gallery of Nova Scotia put on hold". CBC.
- ^ "Tim Houston's Story". Tim Houston for Nova Scotia PC Leader. Retrieved April 16, 2018.
- ^ a b "PC leadership candidate downplays Paradise Papers connection". The Coast. November 23, 2017. Retrieved April 24, 2019.
- ^ "Houston, Timothy Jerome". Offshore Leaks Database/International Consortium of Investigative Journalists. Retrieved September 20, 2020.
- All articles with bare URLs for citations
- Articles with bare URLs for citations from November 2021
- Articles with short description
- Short description with empty Wikidata description
- Use Canadian English from September 2021
- Use mdy dates from September 2021
- Articles with missing files
- Articles without Wikidata item
- CanElecResTopTest with bare year
- 1970 births
- Living people
- Nova Scotia political party leaders
- Progressive Conservative Association of Nova Scotia MLAs
- Premiers of Nova Scotia
- Members of the Executive Council of Nova Scotia
- People from Halifax, Nova Scotia
- People from Pictou County
- 21st-century Canadian politicians