The interim leader of the provincial Liberals says 2025 was a great year for them, having tabled 45 bills in the legislature “punching above their weight” with only two people in their party.
In an end of year interview with Acadia News, Iain Rankin tells us he and Derek Mombourquette have worked together a long time and that provides some benefits.
“We’ve been able to use our prior experience in cabinet and really work hard at providing solutions for government on some of the pressing issues of the day,” says Rankin.
He says despite their limited resources they were still at every single committee, showing up to the legislature with ideas on how to move the province forward.
“Protect ratepayers with some solutions around Nova Scotia Power and really focus on the economy,” adds Rankin.
Bold ideas
The Liberals tabled a bill in the fall to ban social media to anyone under the age of 16.
Rankin says on those types of bold policy ideas, “it’s the long game” for him and seeing it elsewhere in the world he knows it can be done.
“When you see other places doing it, I think Nova Scotia can be a leader. Even yesterday, there was a professor from British Colombia that wanted to speak to me about this,” says Rankin.
He says people across the country are talking about it and his initial goal was to just “get it on the table”.
Highlights
Some of the highlights of the year for Rankin included a roundtable for intimate partner violence, coverage for RSV vaccines for babies, and advocating to keep a breastfeeding clinic open.
“We know that there’s an arrangement made there now, and we continue to advocate for different policies that you know, the last one being the Houston government finally asking for an investigation into Nova Scotia Power,” adds Rankin.
New leader
There is currently a leadership race underway.
Rankin says anyone can put their name forward, they just need to go through a green light process.
“They would be signing up liberal members across the province, pay a fee, and it would be open to Derek as well as an elected member,” explains Rankin.
He says it’s good to have competition.
“Looking forward to people that are interested in joining the party in a leadership role and running for a leader.”
