Lena Metlege Diab | |
|---|---|
| Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship | |
| Assumed office May 13, 2025 | |
| Prime Minister | Mark Carney |
| Preceded by | Rachel Bendayan |
| Member of Parliament forHalifax West | |
| Assumed office September 20, 2021 | |
| Preceded by | Geoff Regan |
| Nova Scotia Minister of Justice Attorney General of Nova Scotia Provincial Secretary of Nova Scotia | |
| In office October 22, 2013 – July 24, 2015 | |
| Premier | Stephen McNeil |
| Preceded by | Ross Landry |
| Succeeded by | Diana Whalen |
| Nova Scotia Minister of Immigration | |
| In office October 22, 2013 – August 31, 2021 | |
| Premier | Stephen McNeil Iain Rankin |
| Preceded by | Frank Corbett |
| Succeeded by | Jill Balser |
| Member of theNova Scotia House of Assembly forHalifax Armdale | |
| In office October 8, 2013 – July 17, 2021 | |
| Preceded by | Constituency established |
| Succeeded by | Ali Duale |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1965-08-17)August 17, 1965 (age 60)[1][2] |
| Political party | Liberal |
| Residence(s) | Halifax,Nova Scotia |
| Occupation | Lawyer |
Lena Metlege Diab (born August 17, 1965) is a Canadian politician who has served as theminister of immigration, refugees and citizenship since 2025. A member of theLiberal Party, Diab was elected to theHouse of Commons in2021 and serves as themember of Parliament (MP) forHalifax West. She was previously a member of theNova Scotia House of Assembly from 2013 to 2021.
Diab was elected to theNova Scotia House of Assembly in the2013 provincial election as a member of theNova Scotia Liberal Party. She representedHalifax Armdale and served as the provincial immigration minister as well as minister of justice, attorney general andprovincial secretary.[3] She did not run for another term in the provincial legislature in the2021 Nova Scotia general election, opting instead to run in the2021 Canadian federal election for theLiberal Party of Canada, in which she was elected MP for Halifax West. She was re-elected in the2025 federal election and was appointed Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship.
Diab was born in Halifax, the daughter of first-generationLebanese immigrants. She moved to Lebanon at age 2 but then moved back to Halifax at age 11, escaping theLebanese Civil War.[4][5][6][7]
Diab graduated fromSaint Mary's University in 1985 with a Bachelor of Arts in economics and political science.[8] She worked as a page at the Nova Scotia Legislature during this time.[citation needed]
She then attendedDalhousie University where she obtained herMaster of Public Administration in 1987 andBachelor of Laws in 1990. Diab practiced law and operated a small business in Halifax.[citation needed]
Diab is a noted community leader and volunteer. She is the recipient of the "Outstanding Professional of the Year" award (2010) from the Canadian Lebanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry. She has received the "Mainland North Champion Award" (2010). Diab was a recipient of theQueen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal (2013). She received the "Nova Scotia Provincial Volunteer Award" (2013). She has served many years as the President of the Canadian Lebanon Society of Halifax, and oversaw the celebration of the 75th Anniversary celebrations held throughout Halifax in 2013.[citation needed] She has served as a volunteer in many other community organizations, including as a member of the parish council for Our Lady of Lebanon Maronite Catholic Church in Halifax.[9]
Diab sought and was elected in the riding ofHalifax Armdale in the2013 Nova Scotia general election for theNova Scotia Liberal Party. On October 22, 2013, Diab was appointed to theExecutive Council of Nova Scotia as Minister of Justice, as well as Attorney General, Minister of Immigration and various other cabinet responsibilities.[10] She was the first female to hold the position of Attorney General in Nova Scotia, as well as the firstLebanese Canadian to hold a cabinet position in Nova Scotia.[citation needed]
On July 24, 2015, premier Stephen McNeil shuffled his cabinet with Diab being retained as Minister of Immigration, but being shuffled out as Minister of Justice.[11][12]
On June 15, 2017, premier Stephen McNeil shuffled his cabinet, retaining Diab as Minister of Immigration, but giving her an additional role in cabinet as Minister of Acadian Affairs and Francophonie.[13][14]
On October 13, 2020, premier Stephen McNeil shuffled his cabinet in response to the resignation of three Ministers who entered the leadership race to replace him. Diab was given an additional role in cabinet as Minister of Labour and Advanced Education.[15]
On February 23, 2021, premier Iain Rankin was sworn in as Nova Scotia's 29th premier along with a new cabinet. Diab retained her roles as Minister of Labour and Advanced Education and Minister of Acadian Affairs and Francophonie, while also retaining the newly renamed role of Minister of Immigration and Population Growth.[16]
| 2025 Canadian federal election:Halifax West | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | ||||
| Liberal | Lena Metlege Diab | 36,200 | 65.60 | +18.04 | ||||
| Conservative | Rob Batherson | 15,020 | 27.22 | +5.67 | ||||
| New Democratic | Rae Tench | 3,083 | 5.59 | -20.41 | ||||
| Green | Ron G. Parker | 497 | 0.90 | -1.55 | ||||
| People's | Adam LeRue | 384 | 0.70 | -1.61 | ||||
| Total valid votes | 55,184 | 99.23 | ||||||
| Total rejected ballots | 426 | 0.77 | +0.30 | |||||
| Turnout | 55,610 | 73.42 | +9.12 | |||||
| Eligible voters[a] | 75,745 | |||||||
| Liberalnotional hold | Swing | +6.19 | ||||||
| Source:Elections Canada[17][18] | ||||||||
| ||||||||
| 2021 Canadian federal election:Halifax West | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Expenditures | |||
| Liberal | Lena Metlege Diab | 24,744 | 48.49 | -0.97 | $83,716.15 | |||
| New Democratic | Jonathan Keith Roberts | 12,331 | 24.16 | +4.97 | $15,101.47 | |||
| Conservative | Eleanor Humphries | 11,243 | 22.03 | +2.74 | $51,584.17 | |||
| People's | Julie Scott | 1,447 | 2.84 | – | $4,571.34 | |||
| Green | Richard Zurawski | 1,181 | 2.31 | -9.75 | $1,237.40 | |||
| Christian Heritage | Kevin Schulthies | 85 | 0.17 | – | $164.00 | |||
| Total valid votes/expense limit | 51,031 | 100.00 | – | $110,211.79 | ||||
| Total rejected ballots | 191 | |||||||
| Turnout | 51,222 | 64.97 | -5.74 | |||||
| Registered voters | 78,839 | |||||||
| Liberalhold | Swing | -2.99 | ||||||
| Source:Elections Canada[19] | ||||||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Liberal | Lena Diab | 3,208 | 49.34 | ||
| New Democratic Party | Drew Moore | 2,233 | 34.34 | ||
| Progressive Conservative | Irvine Carvery | 1,061 | 16.32 | ||
In January 2017, Diab's husband Maroun was charged with assault, uttering threats and choking his wife, as well as threatening two other people in relation to an incident that occurred at their home in Halifax on December 31, 2016.[1] On March 23, 2017, her husband was found not criminally responsible for the incident after an assessment at the East Coast Forensic Hospital.[20][21]
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