On Thursday, January 28th, Sarah Kutulakos, CCBC Executive Director, hosted the Hon. Stephen McNeil, Premier of Nova Scotia, for a ‘virtual fireside chat.’ This event was a tribute to the Premier during his final weeks in office, to recognize his engagement with the CCBC and leadership in fostering successful partnerships with China. The CCBC invited CCBC members and non-members to join this special discussion with the Premier, who shared his thoughts on the importance of the China market and what it means for Nova Scotia’s long term economic growth.

Video messages from Colin Dodds, Professor of Finance and President Emeritus, Saint Mary’s University, H.E. CONG Peiwu, Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to Canada, and H.E. Dominic Barton, Ambassador of Canada to the People’s Republic of China, were interspersed throughout the discussion.

Sponsored by:

This session was free for CCBC members in good standing; C$25+HST for non-members.

The link to the video presentation is available upon request. Please contact your regional Chapter Director to request access:

Virtual Fireside Chat with Hon. Stephen McNeil, Premier of Nova Scotia

January 28, 2021

11:00 am – 12:00 pm EST / 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm AST

Premier Stephen McNeil attributes his core values and strong commitment to public service to his large, close-knit family.

Stephen is the 12th of 17 siblings who were born and raised in Nova Scotia’s beautiful Annapolis Valley.

After graduating from the Nova Scotia Community College, he owned and operated a small business in Bridgetown for 18 years.

Stephen’s inspiration to serve his community came from his late mother, Theresa, the first female sheriff in Canada.

He first won the privilege of serving the people of Annapolis in the provincial legislature in 2003 and has been their MLA since.

Stephen became leader of the Nova Scotia Liberal Party in 2007 and led his team to majority election wins in October 2013 and May 2017.

As premier, he led the province out of a half-billion-dollar deficit to four consecutive balanced budgets, which allowed government to make new investments in Nova Scotians’ priorities in health care, education, creating opportunities for young people, and more. Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Stephen and the government have focused on protecting Nova Scotians’ health and supporting them through this unprecedented time.

During his time as Premier, employment, immigration and the province’s population reached record highs, Nova Scotia became the first jurisdiction in Canada to have presumed consent organ donation legislation, and he issued an apology to minority Nova Scotians for systemic racism in the justice system. The province has also seen a significant increase in exports, including growth of over 400 per cent in China.

Stephen announced in August 2020 that he will step down as Premier in February 2021.

Stephen lives with his wife Andrea in the house where he grew up in Upper Granville, Annapolis County. They have two grown children, Colleen and Jeffrey.