The Halifax Chamber of Commerce, in partnership with the Black Business Initiative, is excited to announce we are hosting the first Nova Scotia Liberal Party candidates’ debate. This is the first opportunity to hear from our future Premier candidates on important topics affecting the business community such as healthcare, taxes, education and their plans for economic recovery from COVID-19.
 
The three candidates will give an opening statement and we will move into a Q&A format moderated by Patrick Sullivan, President & CEO of the Halifax Chamber of Commerce.

Join us for this virtual event by registering today and submit any questions you would like to see asked during the debate. 

MEET THE CANDIDATES:

RANDY DELOREY 

LABI KOUSOULIS

Labi was born and raised here in Nova Scotia. He is the son of Greek immigrants who came to the Province to seek new opportunities and to start a family. He spent much of his youth working in his parent’s restaurant, growing up learning the values of hard work, and the importance in giving back to the community.
Unfortunately, Labi and his sister lost both their parents at a young age. Labi’s parents instilled the importance of education so that he would have opportunities they did not. This inspired him to complete his Bachelor of Commerce from St. Mary’s University and went on to earn his MBA as well.

After graduating, Labi went on to work for Scotiabank in Truro and Amherst helping small businesses succeed. At Scotiabank, Labi completed his Certified Management Accounting (CMA) designation and is now a Certified Professional Accountant CPA-CMA. He subsequently joined Wilson Fuel as a Senior Project Manager. Later on in his career, Labi also worked at Trenton Works as the Controller in Pictou County.

My work at Scotiabank was to help rural businesses succeed. My goal as your Premier is to do the same.
Labi was a successful small business owner and employer before he entered elected politics in 2013. As someone who was never a career politician, Labi watched with growing concern how the Province was being mismanaged, and how a poor economic plan was leaving no room to spend on healthcare, education, and other important social programs. The job stagnation was causing more and more young people to leave Nova Scotia in search of jobs elsewhere, and the situation remained unimproved for over a decade.

Read more here. 

IAIN RANKIN

Iain Rankin is the Liberal MLA for Timberlea-Prospect. He is running to be leader of the Nova Scotia Liberal Party and our next Premier. 
 
First elected to the legislature in 2013, Iain was re-elected in 2017 and has served as Minister of the Environment and Minister of Lands and Forestry. He has also served as the Government Caucus Chair, Vice Chair of the Public Accounts Committee, Chair of the Nova Scotia section of the Assemblée Parlementaire de la Francophonie, and as a member of the Treasury and Policy Board. 
 
Before politics, Iain led a successful career in the private sector as Director of Operations for Dymon Storage, a large commercial development company in Ottawa, founding equity partner of Premiere Self Storage Dartmouth,and Project Manager at Armco Capital focusing on redevelopment assignments throughout North America.
 
Iain holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from Mount Saint Vincent University, and a Master of Arts in International Politics from the Centre Européen de Recherches Internationales et Stratégiques.
 
Born in Mabou, Nova Scotia, today Iain lives in Timberlea with his wife Mary and their dog Weston. Together they spend weekends exploring the many hiking trails, lakes, rivers, and shores our beautiful province has to offer.

Read more here.