Nova Scotia Health Announces New Vice President

Today, Nova Scotia Health interim President and CEO Karen Oldfield announced the appointment of Candace Thomas, K.C. as Vice President, Legal, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary for Nova Scotia Health. 

“Candace Thomas is a senior leader in the legal community whose expertise in corporate governance will help us continue to build our health services network,” said Oldfield. “I know she will be an important contributor and am delighted she is joining the team.”

“Healthcare is a priority for the government and for Nova Scotians and to have an opportunity to contribute to the significant work being done in this area is a privilege,” said Thomas. “I am eager to be a partner in continuing to design and building a more efficient and accessible healthcare system for Nova Scotians.”

Thomas has been the Deputy Minister of Justice and Deputy Attorney General with the Province since April 2020. Prior to being deputy minister, she worked for many years as a partner at Stewart McKelvey. 

She will begin her new assignment on July 8, 2024. 

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Biography 

Candace is the former Deputy Minister of Justice and the Office of Equity and Anti-Racism and Deputy Attorney General for the Province of Nova Scotia. Prior to her appointment as deputy in April 2020, Candace practised law in Nova Scotia for 20 years, the last 15 as a partner in the Halifax Office of Stewart McKelvey.

Candace was selected by her peers to be included in the 2017-2020 editions of The Best Lawyers in Canada for her work in corporate law and received her Queen’s Counsel (now King’s Counsel) designation in 2017. 

In 2018 she was named one of 100 Accomplished Black Canadian Women, and in 2019 she was included on Chatelaine Magazine’s list of Women of the Year. Candace has always been an active community leader and champion of literacy and higher education, which she believes are social equalizers that lead to self-empowerment and self-sufficiency. 

She is currently a member of the boards of The Dartmouth General Hospital Foundation and The Africadian Empowerment Academy Society, as well as a member of the International Women’s Forum – Atlantic Chapter. 

She is a past chair of the Board of Governors of Dalhousie University (the first woman and first person of colour to hold the position in the university’s 200-year history), a past director and vice chair of the Black Business Initiative Society, and she co-chaired the successful inaugural capital campaign for the Halifax Central Library. 

In recognition of her volunteer commitment, in 2017 Candace received the Community Service Award from the Canadian Bar Association - Nova Scotia Branch. Candace is a graduate of Saint Mary’s University and the Schulich School of Law at Dalhousie University. A proud native of East Preston, Candace resides in Dartmouth with her husband and their 18-year-old daughter.