Rural roots and Lebanese heritage
Zach was born and raised in Yarmouth. He is a descendant of Lebanese immigrants and the son of a hard-working teacher and entrepreneur. Zach’s upbringing instilled in him the core values that guide him to this day: being true to your beliefs and giving back to your community.
Zach attended St. Mary’s University where he earned a Bachelor of Arts. It was in school that he saw opportunities to speak up for others on issues of equality and the need for access to education for everyone. Building on his experience as a student leader, Zach joined the Canadian Alliance of Student Associations (CASA), representing students across Canada.
At the age of 26, Zach saw an opportunity to return to his roots in Yarmouth and begin to tackle some of the challenges and opportunities his community faced. He was elected in a by-election in 2010 and has since represented his community as their MLA for 12 years. He has been a community-focused representative and his dedication to his constituents is demonstrated in having been elected four times with some of the largest margins of victory amongst his MLA colleagues.
Zach currently lives in Yarmouth with his wife Katie, who is an Optometrist and small business owner, and their two young daughters, Cecelia and Eva.
Service to our Communities, Party, and Province
Zach has dedicated his career to public service. He has been a longstanding member of the Liberal Party and has held some of the most consequential portfolios during his eight years in government. He has served as Minister of Health and Wellness, Education, Municipal Affairs and Emergency Management, Communications, and Natural Resources.
As Minister of Education, Zach introduced Nova Scotia’s historic pre-primary program that transformed the landscape for hardworking families, and hired hundreds of additional teachers, inclusive education specialists and non-teaching staff for students in our classrooms. Zach was Minister of Health during the Delta wave of COVID-19, and oversaw the implementation of Nova Scotia’s successful vaccine program. Zach also expanded access to primary care through the first pilot of VirtualCareNS, oversaw the establishment of the Office of Mental Health and Addictions and expanded cancer care options for patients in Nova Scotia.
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As Leader of the Nova Scotia Liberal Party
As Leader, Zach has traveled from Yarmouth to Sydney, hearing directly from Nova Scotians on what matters most to them. He knows we need to build a new economic vision for our province – one that is focused on affordability.
Under Zach’s leadership, the Nova Scotia Liberal team has successfully advocated for policies that make a meaningful difference in people’s lives; like reducing income tax, introducing a universal school lunch program, funding continuous glucose monitors for diabetics, and launching preventative screening for lung cancer. He’s also pushed the government to move on practical ideas, like removing HST from new residential builds, expanding cell coverage and creating incentives for backyard suites. Zach’s plan to reduce HST by 2% would leave more money in your pocket when you have to spend on necessities like phone and internet bills, household supplies, vehicle maintenance and clothing.
