HALIFAX — A political scientist says he’s concerned the Nova Scotia government has appointed the premier’s two-time campaign co-chair as a new provincial court judge, saying Tim Houston appears to be becoming more bold in his partisanship.

Justice Minister Scott Armstrong announced Friday afternoon that Cameron MacKeen was among three new judges appointed to the provincial court system.

MacKeen was campaign co-chair for the Progressive Conservative premier’s election wins in 2021 and 2024, and he was a member of Houston’s transition team.

A press release from the Department of Justice says MacKeen has been lawyer since 2003 and had a private practice before joining Nova Scotia Legal Aid as a staff lawyer in 2013, and prior to that he was a journalist.

Tom Urbaniak, a political scientist at Cape Breton University, says while MacKeen may be well qualified to be a judge, his recent work in the highly partisan role of Houston’s campaign co-chair makes the appointment troubling.

Both opposition NDP and Liberal parties have issued statements saying MacKeen’s appointment raises questions about judicial independence.

Houston’s office said in an emailed statement legal aid lawyers like MacKeen are eligible to become judges and there is no rule that prevents people from being politically active before becoming a judge.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 14, 2026.

Lyndsay Armstrong, The Canadian Press