Nova Scotia opposition parties slam surprise cabinet shuffle by Tory government

Premier Tim Houston addresses the Speaker at the start of the spring session of the Nova Scotia legislature at Province House in Halifax on Thursday, March 24, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Andrew Vaughan

HALIFAX — Nova Scotia’s opposition parties say Tuesday’s surprise cabinet shuffle by Premier Tim Houston was done in secrecy and without regard for accountability.

NDP house leader Lisa Lachance said Wednesday that the shuffle -- closed to reporters and announced in a news release -- is “par for the course” for the Progressive Conservative government.

“Time and time again the Houston government does not feel it needs to be accountable or transparent to Nova Scotians,” Lachance told reporters.

Lachance said the New Democrats were left with questions after Houston named Tory backbencher John White as the new housing minister -- without creating a Housing Department. The role had been eliminated in December 2024 when the portfolio was folded into the Department of Growth and Development.

“We have a housing crisis in this province and Nova Scotians need a plan, they need action,” said Lachance.

Interim Liberal leader Derek Mombourquette said he believes the surprise shuffle was calculated to consolidate power in the premier’s office. As part of the shuffle, Houston named himself energy minister, booting Trevor Boudreau from the portfolio -- and from cabinet entirely. The premier also dropped longtime ministers Becky Druhan and Tory Rushton from cabinet; Druhan was at justice and Rushton at natural resources.

Mombourquette said such moves leave the government open to speculation on whether there are problems within the Tory caucus.

“It (the shuffle) was done in secrecy, which I don’t understand,” he said. “If you have cabinet ministers that are being sworn in, do it in public.”

The government’s move to bar reporters from the swearing-in ceremony wasn’t without precedent. Last December, cabinet was sworn in during a private ceremony at a downtown Halifax convention centre in a break from a long-standing tradition of open coverage.

On Tuesday, a spokesperson for the premier’s office said the government opted for a small private ceremony at Government House so new cabinet members could “share the special moment with family and close friends.”

The latest criticism comes after the NDP and Liberals recently voiced concerns over a short eight-day fall sitting of the legislature, which wrapped up earlier this month. The sitting saw the passage of several bills the opposition parties said were attempts by the government to avoid scrutiny and accountability. Both parties said the bills, including one that bans protests on logging access roads, were rammed through the legislature with little debate.

By Keith Doucette

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 22, 2025.