Nova Scotia justice minister steps down

Premier Tim Houston announced in a brief news release that he had accepted his minister’s resignation.

Nova Scotia Justice Minister Brad Johns resigned Friday evening, one day after he made comments downplaying the severity of domestic violence.

Premier Tim Houston announced in a brief news release that he had accepted his minister’s resignation. “Domestic violence is an issue our government takes very seriously,” Houston said.

On Thursday, Johns disputed a public inquiry’s finding that domestic violence is an epidemic and said drugs and gun violence are more serious problems. His comments came on the anniversary of the 2020 Nova Scotia mass shooting, which led to an inquiry — the Mass Casualty Commission — that recommended treating domestic violence as an epidemic.

Several organizations that assist women in the province denounced Johns’s comments on Friday, and opposition politicians called on him to resign. Houston sought to reassure the violence-prevention groups as he announced that Johns was stepping down.