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Lena Diab

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The Honourable
Lena Metlege Diab
MP
Member of Parliament
for Halifax West
Incumbent
Assumed office
September 20, 2021
Preceded byGeoff Regan
Minister of Justice
Attorney General of Nova Scotia and Provincial Secretary of Nova Scotia
In office
October 22, 2013 – July 24, 2015
PremierStephen McNeil
Preceded byRoss Landry
Succeeded byDiana Whalen
Minister of Immigration
In office
October 22, 2013 – August 31, 2021
PremierStephen McNeil
Preceded byFrank Corbett
Succeeded byJill Balser
Member of the Nova Scotia House of Assembly
for Halifax Armdale
In office
October 8, 2013 – July 17, 2021
Preceded byConstituency established
Succeeded byAli Duale
Personal details
Born1965 (age 58–59)
Halifax, Nova Scotia
Political partyLiberal
Residence(s)Halifax, Nova Scotia
OccupationLawyer

Lena Metlege Diab (born 1965)[1] is a Canadian politician, who was elected to the Nova Scotia House of Assembly in the 2013 provincial election. A member of the Nova Scotia Liberal Party, she represented the electoral district of Halifax Armdale until 2021.[2]

She did not run for another term in the provincial legislature in the 2021 Nova Scotia general election, opting instead to run as the Liberal Party of Canada candidate for the riding of Halifax West in the 2021 Canadian federal election.

Early life and career

Diab was born in Halifax, the daughter of first-generation Lebanese immigrants. She moved to Lebanon at age 2 but then moved back to Halifax at age 11, escaping the Lebanese Civil War.[3][4][5][6]

Diab graduated from Saint Mary's University in 1985 with a Bachelor of Arts in economics and political science.[7] She worked as a page at the Nova Scotia Legislature during this time.

She then attended Dalhousie University where she obtained her Master of Public Administration in 1987 and Bachelor of Laws in 1990. Diab practiced law and operated a small business in Halifax. She is the mother of four children who are active in local sports and community organizations in Nova Scotia.

Diab is a noted community leader and volunteer. She is the recipient of the "Outstanding Professional of the Year" award (2010) from the Canadian Lebanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry. She has received the "Mainland North Champion Award" (2010). Diab was a recipient of the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal (2013). She received the "Nova Scotia Provincial Volunteer Award" (2013). She has served many years as the President of the Canadian Lebanon Society of Halifax, and oversaw the celebration of the 75th Anniversary celebrations held throughout Halifax in 2013.

Political career

Diab sought and was elected in the riding of Halifax Armdale in the 2013 Nova Scotia general election for the Nova Scotia Liberal Party. On October 22, 2013, Diab was appointed to the Executive Council of Nova Scotia as Minister of Justice, as well as Attorney General, Minister of Immigration and various other cabinet responsibilities.[8] She was the first female to hold the position of Attorney General in Nova Scotia, as well as the first Lebanese Canadian to hold a cabinet position in Nova Scotia.

On July 24, 2015, premier Stephen McNeil shuffled his cabinet with Diab being retained as Minister of Immigration, but being shuffled out as Minister of Justice.[9][10]

On June 15, 2017, premier Stephen McNeil shuffled his cabinet, retaining Diab as Minister of Immigration, but giving her an additional role in cabinet as Minister of Acadian Affairs and Francophonie.[11][12]

On October 13, 2020, premier Stephen McNeil shuffled his cabinet in response to the resignation of three Ministers who entered the leadership race to replace him. Diab was given an additional role in cabinet as Minister of Labour and Advanced Education.[13]

On February 23, 2021, premier Iain Rankin was sworn in as Nova Scotia's 29th premier along with a new cabinet. Diab retained her roles as Minister of Labour and Advanced Education and Minister of Acadian Affairs and Francophonie, while also retaining the newly renamed role of Minister of Immigration and Population Growth.[14]

Electoral record

2021 Canadian federal election: Halifax West
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
Liberal Lena Metlege Diab 24,744 48.49 -0.97 $83,716.15
New Democratic Jonathan Keith Roberts 12,331 24.16 +4.97 $15,101.47
Conservative Eleanor Humphries 11,243 22.03 +2.74 $51,584.17
People's Julie Scott 1,447 2.84 – $4,571.34
Green Richard Zurawski 1,181 2.31 -9.75 $1,237.40
Christian Heritage Kevin Schulthies 85 0.17 – $164.00
Total valid votes/expense limit 51,031 100.00 – $110,211.79
Total rejected ballots 191
Turnout 51,222 64.97 -5.74
Registered voters 78,839
Liberal hold Swing -2.99
Source: Elections Canada[15]
2013 Nova Scotia general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
  Liberal Lena Diab 3,208 49.34
  New Democratic Party Drew Moore 2,233 34.34
  Progressive Conservative Irvine Carvery 1,061 16.32

Personal life

In January 2017, Diab's husband Maroun was charged with assault, uttering threats and choking his wife, as well as threatening two other people in relation to an incident that occurred at their home in Halifax on December 31, 2016.[1] On March 23, 2017, her husband was found not criminally responsible for the incident after an assessment at the East Coast Forensic Hospital.[16][17]

References

  1. ^ a b Cabinet minister Lena Diab's husband charged with assaulting her CBC News
  2. ^ "Nova Scotia votes: Riding-by-riding results for Halifax region" Archived 2014-02-28 at the Wayback Machine. Metro, October 8, 2013.
  3. ^ Lena Diab Gets It My East Coast Experience
  4. ^ Official Website Lenadiab.ca
  5. ^ Faces in the Crowd – Reaching Out at Home and Abroad. Week45.com
  6. ^ The Honourable Lena Metlege Diab, Q.C., ECNS CMFC-MCCF.ca
  7. ^ Eight Saint Mary's Alumni Headed to Province House[permanent dead link] Saint Mary's University
  8. ^ "Premier Stephen McNeil welcomes 16-member cabinet". CBC News. October 22, 2013. Retrieved 2014-09-28.
  9. ^ "Andrew Younger sworn back in to cabinet after shuffle". CBC News. July 24, 2015. Retrieved 2015-07-24.
  10. ^ "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 2015-07-24.
  11. ^ "Stephen McNeil shuffles cabinet, but vows not to change course". CBC News. June 15, 2017. Retrieved 2017-06-15.
  12. ^ "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 2017-06-15.
  13. ^ "N.S. premier shuffles cabinet, names new health, labour and forestry ministers". CTV News Atlantic. October 13, 2020. Retrieved 2021-03-01.
  14. ^ "Premier Iain Rankin, new Nova Scotia cabinet sworn in by lieutenant-governor". CTV News Atlantic. February 23, 2021. Retrieved 2021-03-01.
  15. ^ "September 20, 2021 General Election Election Results". Elections Canada. Retrieved 22 September 2021.
  16. ^ Husband of cabinet minister Lena Diab not criminally responsible for assault CBC News
  17. ^ DIAB, Maroun - June 2017 Government of Nova Scotia
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