Lisa Anne Lachance[1] MLA is a Canadian politician, who was elected to the Nova Scotia House of Assembly in the 2021 Nova Scotia general election.[2] She represents the riding of Halifax Citadel-Sable Island as a member of the Nova Scotia New Democratic Party.

Lisa Lachance
Critic, Finance and Treasury Board; Mental Health & Addictions; 2SLGBTQ+ Affairs; L’nu Affairs; Agriculture; Acadian Affairs; Advanced Education; and Communications NS.
Assumed office
September 7, 2021
LeaderGary Burrill and Claudia Chender
Member of the Nova Scotia House of Assembly
for Halifax Citadel-Sable Island
Assumed office
August 17, 2021
Preceded byLabi Kousoulis
Personal details
BornMontreal, Quebec, Canada
Political partyNew Democratic Party
SpouseHeather Gass
Residence(s)Halifax, Nova Scotia

As of September 22, 2024, Lachance serves as the Third Party spokesperson for Environment and Climate Climate, 2SLGBTQ+ Affairs, L’nu Affairs, Mental Health and Addictions, Agriculture, Acadian Affairs, Advanced Education, Finance and Treasury Board, Economic Development, and Skills & Immigration.

Early life

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Lachance was born in Montreal, and spent time in Belleville, Ontario and Australia, before completing high school in Canning, Nova Scotia.[3] Lachance graduated from Dalhousie University in 1996 with a Bachelor of Arts in International Development Studies and in 2000 with a Master of Public Administration.[4]

Personal life

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Lachance and her partner Heather Gass were one of the first same-sex couples to be legally married in Canada following Halpern v Canada (AG).[5] Lachance is genderqueer[6] and uses she/they pronouns.[7] She is the first gender non-conforming MLA in Nova Scotia, and the third overall in the nation, joining Uzoma Asagwara and Estefan Cortes-Vargas.[7]

Electoral history

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2021 Nova Scotia general election: Halifax Citadel-Sable Island
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
New Democratic Lisa Lachance 3,397 42.31 +12.55
Liberal Labi Kousoulis 2,956 36.82 -4.74
Progressive Conservative Sheri Morgan 1,425 17.75 -5.48
Green Noah Hollis 250 3.11 -2.33
Total valid votes 8,028 99.79
Total rejected ballots 17 0.21
Turnout 8,045 48.92
Eligible voters 16,444
New Democratic gain from Liberal Swing +8.65

References

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  1. ^ Biographical Directory of MLAs from 1984 to the Present Nova Scotia Legislature
  2. ^ "Nova Scotia Election Riding Results: Halifax Citadel-Sable Island". Global News. August 17, 2021.
  3. ^ "Interests - Lisa Lachance web". Lisalachance.ca.
  4. ^ Biography of MLAs Nova Scotia Legislature
  5. ^ MacDonald, Rory (June 18, 2003). "Victory in the Justice System". Xtra!.
  6. ^ McSheffrey, Elizabeth. "Gender diversity will improve at N.S. legislature, but still falls below half of elected officials - Halifax | Globalnews.ca". Global News. Retrieved September 15, 2021. Lachance, who is genderqueer, knocked Liberal incumbent Labi Kousoulis out of the job — evidence that Nova Scotians "wanted change," they said.
  7. ^ a b Armstrong, Lyndsay. "Meet peninsula Halifax's new MLAs Ali Duale, Suzy Hansen and Lisa Lachance". The Coast Halifax. Retrieved September 15, 2021. Lachance, who's non-binary and uses both they and she pronouns, is one of only a few openly gender-queer politicians to win a Canadian election.