Stephen McNeil Iain Rankin The 2021 Nova Scotia Liberal Party leadership election took place on February 6[2][3] to elect a leader to replace Premier Stephen McNeil, who on August 6, 2020, announced his pending resignation[4] after leading the party since 2007 and returning the party to government in 2013 after being out of power for fourteen years.

Stephen McNeil announced on August 6, 2020, pending resignation as party leader and premier, during the COVID-19 pandemic in Nova Scotia.

Additionally, he was the Minister of Labour and Advanced Education since 2017, having resigned to run in the leadership race.

Rankin served in cabinet as the Minister of Lands and Forestry since 2018, having resigned prior to announcing his candidacy.

In addition, he previously served as Minister of Environment from 2017 to 2018 and was head of the Nova Scotia francophone parliamentarian association from 2014 to 2017.