HALIFAX –

In a surprising turn of events, Zach Churchill has announced his resignation as the leader of the Nova Scotia Liberal Party, following a devastating defeat in the recent provincial elections held on November 26. The party was left with only two seats in the legislature, a stark decrease from the 14 seats they held previously.

Speaking at a press conference at the Liberal caucus office in Halifax, Churchill expressed his disappointment over the election results but remained hopeful about the party’s future. He stated, 'I'm certainly sorry that I couldn't have produced better results for our candidates and our members of the legislature, but I'm certainly encouraged as I pass the torch on that we will continue to rebuild.'

Immediately following his resignation, Derek Mombourquette will step in as interim leader, sharing the responsibilities with Iain Rankin, who will serve as House Leader. This leadership transition comes after Churchill lost his seat in Yarmouth by a mere 16 votes to Progressive Conservative candidate Nick Hilton, following a recount.

The Nova Scotia Liberals faced a significant blow in this election, which was Churchill’s first as party leader. The Progressive Conservatives, under Premier Tim Houston’s leadership, secured a commanding victory, winning 43 of the 55 seats in the legislature. The New Democratic Party, led by Claudia Chender, gained nine seats, displacing the Liberals to the official Opposition role.

Despite the losses, Churchill highlighted that the Liberal Party captured 23 percent of the popular vote, albeit translating to less than four percent of the total seats. He reflected on his regret of not promoting his passion for proportional representation more vigorously during the campaign. 'This election gives us a very clear example of how it is important to reform our electoral system,' he remarked.

Churchill, a former cabinet minister, had been a significant figure in the Liberal Party since winning a byelection in 2010. He was re-elected in subsequent elections in 2013, 2017, and 2021, solidifying his role in the province's political landscape.

Moving forward, Mombourquette acknowledged the challenges ahead but emphasized that rebuilding efforts would commence immediately. 'Iain and I will be out and engaging across the province with candidates who ran in the last election and with their riding associations,' he said. 'There's a lot of work that needs to happen as we also prepare new policies for when the legislature resumes.'

The legislature will reconvene for a brief session to swear in newly elected members and elect a new Speaker. The Liberal Party is expected to outline the process for selecting a new leader in the coming months.

Stay tuned as this story continues to develop, and see how the Nova Scotia Liberal Party plans to recover from this significant electoral setback!