Iain Rankin

Iain Thomas Rankin ECNS MLA (born April 9, 1983) is a Canadian politician who served as the 29th premier of Nova Scotia from February 23, 2021, to August 31, 2021. He serves in the Nova Scotia House of Assembly for the Nova Scotia Liberal Party, representing the electoral district of Timberlea-Prospect . Rankin was first elected in the 2013 Nova Scotia general election and was re-elected in the 2017, the 2021 and the 2024 general elections. On February 6, 2021, Rankin was announced the Leader of the Nova Scotia Liberal Party after a competitive leadership race.

On February 23, 2021, Rankin became the 29th premier of Nova Scotia. Rankin called an election for August 17, 2021, which his Liberal Party lost to the Progressive Conservative Party of Nova Scotia led by Tim Houston. Rankin left office as Premier on August 31, 2021.

Rankin thereafter served as Leader of the Opposition in the Nova Scotia House of Assembly. On January 5, 2022, Rankin announced that he will resign as leader of the Nova Scotia Liberal Party once a new leader is chosen. He was succeeded as leader by Zach Churchill in the 2022 leadership election. He currently serves as the House Leader for the Nova Scotia Liberal Party.

He, MLAs John Lohr and current premier Tim Houston are the longest serving current members of the Legislative Assembly of Nova Scotia, all three having first been elected at the 2013 provincial election.

Iain Thomas Rankin was born in Inverness, Nova Scotia, and grew up in Timberlea. He is the son of long-term Halifax city councillor Reg Rankin. Rankin graduated from Sir John A. Macdonald High School in 2001. He received a diploma in Professional Golf Management from Holland College, a Bachelor of Business Administration from Mount Saint Vincent University in 2006 and a Master of Arts in International Politics at CERIS-ULB Diplomatic School of Brussels.

Before entering politics, Rankin was employed as an operations manager and as a project manager. He was the Director of Operations for Dymon Storage Corporation, in Ottawa, Ontario. After returning to Nova Scotia in 2011, Rankin managed the launch of Premiere Self Storage in Dartmouth as an operating partner. He went on to work as a project manager in the commercial division of Armco Capital.

Rankin, a rescue dog owner, supported the Nova Scotia government's plan to outlaw tying pets up for longer than 12 hours. In 2014 with the support of local residents, Rankin participated in a campaign with lawn signs targeting speeders with a message to slow down. Through a private member's bill and was passed by the legislature, Rankin submitted Bill 176 which will restrict Otter Lake Waste Facility to its current height and size.

In 2015, Rankin chaired an all-Party working group established by the Committee on Assembly Matters. He introduced a motion to approve the Nova Scotia House of Assembly policy on prevention and resolution of harassment in the workplace, drafted by the all-Party working group established by this committee on September 28, 2015.