Wayne Adams, CM ONS (born 1943) is a Canadian former provincial politician who was the first Black Canadian member of the Nova Scotia House of Assembly and cabinet minister. Early life Adams was born in Halifax, Nova Scotia in 1943. Political career Adams was first elected to the Halifax Municipal Council in 1979 and was re-elected five times. He was deputy mayor from 1982 to 1983. A Nova Scotia Liberal, he was elected in the 1993 Nova Scotia general election in the riding of Preston. He was the Minister of the Environment, Minister responsible for the Emergency Measures Act, and the Minister responsible for the Nova Scotia Boxing Authority in the governments of first John Savage (1993–1997) and then Russell MacLellan (1997–1998). He was defeated in 1998 by the NDP candidate, Yvonne Atwell. Electoral record Awards and recognition In 2003, he was made a Member of the Order of Canada, Canada's highest civilian honour. In 2011, he was invested as a member of the Order of Nova Scotia. References External links CBC Radio archives: Nova Scotia elects its first black MLA 1943 births Living people Black Canadian politicians Black Nova Scotians Canadian Baptists Members of the Executive Council of Nova Scotia Members of the Order of Canada Members of the Order of Nova Scotia Nova Scotia Liberal Party MLAs People from Halifax, Nova Scotia Nova Scotia municipal councillors