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Zach Churchill

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The Honourable
Zach Churchill
Leader of the Opposition
In office
July 9, 2022 – October 27, 2024
Preceded byIain Rankin
Succeeded byClaudia Chender
Leader of the Nova Scotia Liberal Party
In office
July 9, 2022 – December 10, 2024
Preceded byIain Rankin
Succeeded byDerek Mombourquette (interim)
Member of the Nova Scotia House of Assembly
for Yarmouth
In office
June 22, 2010 – October 27, 2024
Preceded byRichard Hurlburt
Succeeded byNick Hilton
Personal details
Born
Zachariah John Churchill[1]

(1984-05-25) May 25, 1984 (age 40)
Yarmouth, Nova Scotia
Political partyLiberal
SpouseKatie Churchill
Alma materSaint Mary's University
Occupationpolitician

Zachariah John Churchill (born May 25, 1984) is a Canadian politician and activist from Nova Scotia who served as the leader of the Nova Scotia Liberal Party and the leader of the Opposition from 2022 until 2024. He previously served as the member of the Nova Scotia House of Assembly for Yarmouth, first elected from 2010 until 2024. and as a cabinet minister in various portfolios in the Stephen McNeil and Iain Rankin ministries, most notably as minister of health and wellness.

Early life and education

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Churchill graduated from Saint Mary's University in 2007 with a Bachelor of Arts degree.[2][3] He served as National Director of the Canadian Alliance of Student Associations from 2007 to 2009, representing student organizations across Canada. In 2010, he was serving as policy analyst at the Department of Human Resources and Skills Development for the federal government before taking a leave of absence to run for the Nova Scotia Liberal Party in Yarmouth.[1][4][5]

Political career

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Churchill was nominated by the Liberal Party in the riding of Yarmouth in May 2010.[6] He won the by-election held on June 22, 2010, which was contested by six high-profile candidates. Churchill garnered over half the popular vote, defeating John Deveau, who had served as MLA for the region, and by Charles Crosby, who served as Mayor of Yarmouth for two decades, and two minor-party leaders.[7]

Churchill was re-elected during the 2013 general election.[5][8] On October 22, 2013, Premier Stephen McNeil appointed Churchill to the Executive Council of Nova Scotia as Minister of Natural Resources.[9]

On July 24, 2015, McNeil shuffled his cabinet, moving Churchill to Minister of Municipal Affairs and Minister of Communications Nova Scotia.[10][11][12] On June 15, 2017, Churchill was shuffled into the Minister of Education and Early Childhood Development portfolio.[13][14]

As Minister of Education and Early Childhood Development, Churchill introduced major reforms into Nova Scotia's education system. This included the introduction of universal Pre-primary across the province, a Liberal campaign commitment during the 2017 election.[15]

During the 2021 Nova Scotia Liberal Party Leadership Election, Churchill supported Iain Rankin in his bid to become leader.[16] After Rankin became Leader of the Nova Scotia Liberal Party and Premier of Nova Scotia, Churchill became Minister of Health and Wellness, serving in Rankin's cabinet until August 31, 2021.[17] Churchill served as Health Minister during the COVID-19 pandemic, holding the position for six months.

Churchill was re-elected for the fourth time in 2021, winning the riding of Yarmouth with 56% of the vote.

In the wake of the Liberal Party's defeat in the 2021 Nova Scotia general election, Churchill became Deputy Leader of the Official Opposition and Health Critic.[18]

In February 2022, Churchill announced he was running for the leadership of the Nova Scotia Liberal Party.[19][20] On July 9, 2022, he won the leadership election.[21][22] In the 2024 Nova Scotia general election, Churchill led the Liberals to a third place finish with two seats, behind the PCs and NDP, one of the worst results in their history.[23] He was unseated himself by 14 votes by Progressive Conservative candidate Nick Hilton.[24]

Personal life

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Churchill resides in Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, with his wife Katie and two young daughters.[25]

Controversy

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In 2019, PC Leader Tim Houston and another MLA alleged they had been accosted by Churchill. They described the incidents as verbally and physically threatening.[26] Churchill admitted that he could be "confrontational", but denied physical altercations. In 2021, Maureen MacDonald, former NSNDP leader, said that Churchill had become physical with a member of her caucus, an allegation Churchill denied.[27]

Electoral record

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2024 Nova Scotia general election: Yarmouth
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Progressive Conservative Nick Hilton 3,663 48.32 +11.29
Liberal Zach Churchill 3,647 48.11 -8.21
New Democratic Gillian Rowley 208 2.74 -1.43
Green Adam Randall 62 0.82 -1.66
Total valid votes 7,580 99.59  
Total rejected ballots 31 0.41 0.00
Turnout 7,611 52.68 -2.07
Eligible voters 14,447
Progressive Conservative gain from Liberal Swing +9.77
2021 Nova Scotia general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Zach Churchill 4,344 56.32 -11.85
Progressive Conservative Candice Clairmont 2,856 37.03 +11.53
New Democratic SJ Rogers 322 4.17 +1.09
Green Adam Randall 191 2.48 -0.76
Total valid votes 7,713 99.56
Total rejected ballots 34 0.44
Turnout 7,747 55.17
Eligible voters 14,041
Liberal hold Swing -11.69
2017 Nova Scotia general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Zach Churchill 5,364 68.17 -13.91
Progressive Conservative Mitch Bonnar 2,007 25.50 +11.19
Green Jim Laverie 255 3.24 +2.26
New Democratic David Olie 243 3.08 +0.44
2013 Nova Scotia general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Zach Churchill 6,975 82.08 +31.43
  Progressive Conservative John Cunningham 1,216 14.31 -19.10
  New Democratic Party Charles Webster 224 2.64 -3.88
Green Vanessa Goodwin-Clairmont 83 0.98 -0.36
Yarmouth By-election June 22, 2010
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Zach Churchill 3,984 50.65 +36.58
  Progressive Conservative Charles Crosby 2,628 33.41 -27.93
  Independent Belle Hatfield 673 8.56 Ø
  New Democratic Party John Deveau 513 6.52 -16.41
Green John Percy 49 0.62 -1.04
Atlantica Jonathan Dean 19 0.24 Ø

References

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  1. ^ a b Canada Gazette Part. I, page 1043 Government of Canada
  2. ^ Convocation 2007 Saint Mary's University
  3. ^ Maroon & White - Winter 2009 Saint Mary's University
  4. ^ Churchill Nears End with CASA Yarmouth Vanguard
  5. ^ a b "Former student leader wins big in Nova Scotia election". Maclean's. October 9, 2013. Retrieved 2017-05-02.
  6. ^ "Zach Churchill wins Liberal nomination". The Vanguard. May 8, 2010. Archived from the original on June 10, 2010. Retrieved 2023-11-27.
  7. ^ "Liberals win 2 N.S. byelections". CBC News. June 22, 2010.
  8. ^ "Landslide win for Zach Churchill". The Vanguard. October 8, 2013. Archived from the original on July 22, 2015. Retrieved 2023-11-27.
  9. ^ "Premier Stephen McNeil welcomes 16-member cabinet". CBC News. October 22, 2013. Retrieved 2014-09-19.
  10. ^ "Andrew Younger sworn back in to cabinet after shuffle". CBC News. July 24, 2015. Retrieved 2015-07-24.
  11. ^ "Cabinet shuffle: Whalen out as finance minister, Younger back in". The Chronicle Herald. July 24, 2015. Archived from the original on July 25, 2015. Retrieved 2023-11-27.
  12. ^ "Premier shuffles cabinet, Andrew Younger returns, Diana Whalen moves to justice". Metro. Halifax. July 24, 2015. Archived from the original on July 24, 2015. Retrieved 2023-11-27.
  13. ^ "Stephen McNeil shuffles cabinet, but vows not to change course". CBC News. June 15, 2017. Retrieved 2017-06-15.
  14. ^ "N.S. cabinet unveiled: Casey now deputy premier, finance minister". The Chronicle Herald. June 15, 2017. Archived from the original on June 15, 2017. Retrieved 2023-11-27.
  15. ^ "Nova Scotia to further expand pre-primary for 4-year-olds - Halifax | Globalnews.ca". Global News. Retrieved 2022-01-17.
  16. ^ Amirault, Courtney. "Churchill Backs Rankin For Liberal Leadership". Y95.5. Retrieved 2022-01-17.
  17. ^ Scotia, Communications Nova (2018-05-11). "New Premier, Cabinet and Vision for Nova Scotia". News Releases. Retrieved 2022-01-17.
  18. ^ Cooke, Alex (September 7, 2021). "N.S. Liberal leader Iain Rankin announces Opposition critics".
  19. ^ "Zach Churchill launches Nova Scotia Liberal leadership bid in Halifax". CBC News. February 20, 2022. Retrieved 2024-08-26.
  20. ^ "Zach Churchill announces leadership bid for Nova Scotia Liberal party". CTV News. February 22, 2022. Retrieved 2024-08-26.
  21. ^ "Zach Churchill elected new leader of Nova Scotia Liberal Party". CBC News. July 9, 2022. Retrieved 2024-08-26.
  22. ^ "Nova Scotia Liberals elect new leader Zach Churchill to replace ex-premier Iain Rankin". CTV News. July 9, 2022. Retrieved 2024-08-26.
  23. ^ "NDP poised to become Official Opposition as Liberal vote collapses". CBC News. November 26, 2024. Retrieved November 26, 2024.
  24. ^ "N.S. Liberal Leader loses seat to PC candidate, trails just 14 votes". Atlantic. 2024-11-27. Retrieved 2024-11-28.
  25. ^ "Our Team". Nova Scotia's Liberals. Retrieved 2022-01-17.
  26. ^ "Former MLAs accuse N.S. education minister of 'pattern of inappropriate behaviour'". Global News. Retrieved 2021-02-23.
  27. ^ "N.S. education minister denies allegations of physical confrontation with former MLAs". Global News. Retrieved 2021-02-23.
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