Lawyer and former education minister Becky Druhan has been given the job of justice minister and attorney general following the Progressive Conservatives’ recent re-election as a majority government.
The PC’s victory came after Premier Tim Houston made the controversial decision to call a snap election. On Dec. 12, Houston revealed his new, 21-member cabinet at a swearing-ceremony.
Becky Druhan, Nova Scotia Minister of Justice and Attorney General
It goes on to detail that Druhan practiced law before entering provincial politics, working “with non-profits and government organizations on a range of systems including health care, transportation, energy, justice and community services.”
“She fought for individual needs — successfully advocating for change in care provider practices to protect vulnerable clients with mental health needs,” it states. “She worked to improve services — leading programs to expand nursing, home and community care.”
It goes on to note that Druhan “represented businesses and organizations,” providing “strategic legal advice while running complex litigation, labour relations and dispute resolution files.”
Along with her roles as justice minister and AG, Druhan will also be provincial secretary and minister responsible for the office of equity and anti-racism.
According to a LinkedIn page, Druhan graduated from Dalhousie University with a degree in psychology in 1997 and remained at the university to attend law school from 2000 to 2003.
The page lists employment law as a skill, and a profile section states she once worked for “Atlantic Canada’s largest law firm.”
A government spokesperson was not immediately able to confirm what type of law Druhan practised but did confirm that she attended Dalhousie’s Schulich School of Law and was admitted to the Nova Scotia bar in 2004.
Druhan lives in the community of Italy Cross with her husband and two children.
If you have any information, story ideas or news tips for Law360 Canada, please contact Terry Davidson at t.davidson@lexisnexis.ca or 905-415-5899.