Nova Scotia Premier Stephen McNeil to step down

Nova Scotia Premier Stephen McNeil announced Thursday he will step down.

McNeil was first elected in 2003 as MLA for Annapolis and has been premier since 2013.

McNeil said he had made the decision to resign prior to COVID-19, but he reconsidered when the virus arrived in Nova Scotia in March.

“All of those plans were put on hold and I gave this my all, I spent five weeks here without ever getting home to my own property and my own home. [I was] away from my family because I was working with Public Health and with our team to try to get control of it.”

McNeil said he will continue to act as premier and Liberal Party leader until the party chooses a replacement.

“We’re at a position right now where I felt the window for me to — I either had to say I was going, or I was too late.”

McNeil is in his second term of a majority government. He said he feels two terms is a long time for one person to hold that responsibility, and a long time for the province to have the same leader.

CBC