Changes in the senior ranks of the Nova Scotia Public Service (August 31, 2021)
On August 31, 2021, Premier Tim Houston announced changes to the senior ranks of the public service.
(1) Updated to reflect September 1 changes to Nova Scotia Health and DHW
New appointments
| Name | Previous position | New position |
| April Howe | Senior executive advisor to the deputy minister of Justice | Deputy minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture |
| Karen Gatien | Associate deputy minister, Education and Early Childhood Development | Deputy minister of Natural Resources and Renewables |
| Peter Hackett | Chief engineer, Transportation and Active Transit | Deputy minister Public Works |
| Jeannine Lagasse (1) | Associate deputy minister, Department of Health and Wellness | Deputy minister, Department of Health and Wellness |
| Craig Beaton (1) | Senior executive director, Department of Health and Wellness | Associate deputy minister, Department of Health and Wellness |
| Karen Oldfield (1) | CEO, Halifax Port Authority | Interim CEO, Nova Scotia Health |
| Tracey Barbrick (2) | Associate Deputy Minister, Department of Community Services | Associate Deputy Minister, Seniors & Long-Term Care |
| Sandy Graves (2) | Executive Director, Service Delivery, SNSIS; Acting ADM, DCS | Associate Deputy Minister, Dept. of Community Services |
Other members of the Deputy team include:
| Name | Previous position | New position |
| Laura Lee Langley | Deputy minister to the Premier, Clerk of Executive Council, CEO of Communications Nova Scotia, and Head of the Public Service | No change |
| Paul LaFleche | Deputy minister, Department of Transportation and Active Transit, and Department of Lands and Forestry | Deputy minister, Department of Seniors and Long-Term Care; Deputy minister, Municipal Affairs and Housing |
| Tracey Taweel | Deputy minister, Department of Community Services and Status of Women | No change |
| Justin Huston | Deputy minister of the Department of Municipal Affairs, DM of Office of L’nu Affairs (formerly Aboriginal Affairs) | Deputy minister, L’nu Affairs, African Nova Scotian Affairs, Gaelic Affairs and Communities, Culture, Tourism and Heritage |
| Cathy Montreuil | Deputy minister, Department of Education and Early Childhood Development | No change |
| Scott Farmer | Deputy minister for the Department of Inclusive Economic Growth | Deputy minister, Economic Development and Environment and Climate Change |
| Loretta Robichaud | Deputy minister of the Nova Scotia Department of Agriculture and the Nova Scotia Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture | Agriculture |
| Candace Thomas | Deputy minister, Department of Justice | No change |
| Catherine Berliner | Deputy minister, Office of Equity and Anti-Racism Initiatives | No change |
| Kelliann Dean | Deputy minister, Department of Finance and Treasury Board, DM of Intergovernmental Affairs | No change |
| Nancy MacLellan | Deputy minister, Department of Seniors | Deputy minister, Department of Advanced Education (new) |
| Andrea Anderson | Public Service Commissioner | No change |
| Joanne Munroe | Deputy minister, Service Nova Scotia and Internal Services | No change |
| Ava Czapalay | CEO and deputy minister for the Office of Immigration and Population Growth | Deputy minister, Department of Labour Skills and Immigration (new) |
| Fred Crooks | Deputy minister, Office of Regulatory Affairs and Service Excellence | No change |
| Dr. Kevin Orrell (1) | Deputy Minister, Department of Health and Wellness | CEO, Office of Health Care Professionals Recruitment (new) |
Leaving government
| Name | Current position | Notes |
| Duff Montgomerie | Deputy minister of Labour and Advanced Education | First appointed Deputy Minister of the Department of Labour and Advanced Education in April 2014, He served previously as DM of Natural Resources, and Deputy Minister of the Department of Health Promotion and Protection. |
| Bernie Miller | Deputy minister of Office of Strategy Management | First appointed Deputy of Planning and Priorities in January 2014 |
| Julie Towers | Deputy minister of Environment and Climate Change |
She served previously as Deputy Minister of the Department of Lands and Forestry. |
| Simon D’Entremont | Deputy minister of Energy and Mines | First appointed as Deputy of the Department of Economic and Rural Development and Tourism in 2012 |
| Eiryn Devereaux | Deputy minister of Infrastructure and Housing | First appointed as Deputy February 23, 2021. Prior to that, he served as senior executive in the Government of Nunavut. |
| Késa Munroe-Anderson | Deputy minister of Communities, Culture and Heritage | First appointed as Deputy February 23, 2021 |
| Dr. Brendan Carr (1) | CEO, Nova Scotia Health | First appointed December 2019 |
| Sandra Cascadden | Associate deputy minister of Health and Wellness | First appointed ADM of DHW on May 30, 2019. She previously held associate deputy minister and chief information officer positions at Internal Services. |
| Paula Bond | Associate deputy minister of Health and Wellness | She previously served as VP in the NSHA. |
The Lieutenant Governor and the newly sworn-in Executive Council of Nova Scotia (the Cabinet). Photo: Office of the Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia
Changes to Executive Council
The lieutenant-governor also swore in Premier Tim Houston and his new Cabinet. The new cabinet is as follows:
Tim Houston – Premier, President of the Executive Council, the Minister of Trade and the Minister responsible for Intergovernmental Affairs and the Office of Regulatory Affairs and Service Effectiveness.
Allan MacMaster - will be the deputy premier and will also be the Minister of Finance and Treasury Board, the Minister of Gaelic Affairs and the Minister responsible for Labour Relations.
Colton LeBlanc takes on the Public Service Commission, Service Nova Scotia and Internal Services, and Acadian Affairs and Francophonie.
Michelle Thompson - will become the Minister of Health and Wellness. She will also oversee a newly created Office of Health Care Professionals Recruitment.
Barbara Adams - takes on the new Department of Seniors and Long-term Care. New Department split out from DHW, combining office of Seniors
Karla MacFarlane - is the new Minister of Community Services and Minister responsible for the Status of Women and the Office of L’nu Affairs.
Brian Comer - assumes responsibility for the Office of Mental Health and Addictions. He’ll also be the Minister responsible for Youth and Communications Nova Scotia.
Jill Balser will be the Minister of Labour Skills and Immigration and have responsibility for Apprenticeship. New Department - “Department of Labour Skills and Immigration”
Brian Wong - will lead a separate Department of Advanced Education. New Department, split out from LAE
Becky Druhan will be the Minister of Education and Early Childhood Development.
Susan Corkum-Greek will be the new Minister of Economic Development.
Brad Johns is the new Minister of Justice and Attorney General. He’s also responsible for Elections Nova Scotia, the Human Rights Commission and the Accessibility Act.
Kim Masland will lead the Department of Public Works, formerly Transportation and Active Transit. Dept Name Change - “Department of Public Works”
Tim Halman – becomes Minister of Environment and Climate Change, and has also been appointed Chair of Treasury Board.
John Lohr - is the Minister for the Department of Municipal Affairs and Housing. He’ll also have responsibility for the Emergency Management Office and Military Relations.
Tory Rushton - becomes Minister of the Department of Natural Resources and Renewables, combining the former Departments of Lands and Forestry and Energy and Mines. Dept Name Change - “Department of Natural Resources and Renewables”
Greg Morrow - will be the new Minister of Agriculture.
Steve Craig - will be the new Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture.
Pat Dunn - Minister of Communities, Culture, Tourism and Heritage, which assumes responsibility of Tourism Nova Scotia. He’ll also have responsibility for African Nova Scotian Affairs, the Office of Equity and Anti-Racism Initiatives and the Voluntary Sector.