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Halifax, nova scotia, canada
The Canadian Press

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Premier Iain Rankin makes remarks after being defeated in the Nova Scotia Provincial Election, in Halifax, Tuesday, Aug. 17, 2021.kelly clark/The Canadian Press

Nova Scotia’s Liberal Party is set to elect a new leader at its convention this evening.

Contenders to replace former premier Iain Rankin are MLAs Angela Simmonds from the community of Preston and Zach Churchill from Yarmouth, N.S.

Simmonds, a lawyer and small business owner, was first elected to the legislature in the August 2021 election and serves as deputy Speaker.

Churchill first joined the legislature in a 2010 by-election and has served as a cabinet minister for the departments of education and health.

The party says it has more than 3,400 registered delegates who are eligible to vote, which is less than half the number of members who were able to vote in the February 2021 Liberal leadership race won by Rankin.

According to Liberal Party records, there were more than 8,100 eligible voters for the election that made Rankin Nova Scotia’s 29th premier. But the Liberals were defeated in last August’s provincial election and Rankin stepped down from the party’s top job in January.

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