Stephen Greene has extensive business experience as well as political and public service experience at federal and provincial levels.
Mr. Greene’s first important job was at the Canadian Embassy in Washington DC where he was asked to report on how the United States made its fisheries policy in the aftermath of the 200 mile limit. Subsequently, he managed the government relations of H.B. Nickerson & Sons Limited, the largest offshore trawler company on the East Coast. At the time, Nickerson owned the majority of shares of National Sea Products.
While in the fishing industry, he was asked to return to the Foreign Service. He was sent to the Canadian Consulate in Boston where he managed the new boundary in the Gulf of Maine and played a significant role in defeating a countervailing duty investigation into fresh and frozen groundfish from Canada, which had been launched by the United States, saving Canadians hundreds of millions of dollars.
He subsequently joined Clearwater Fine Foods, Inc where he was Assistant to the President (John Risley) for eight years and helped build the company into the largest and most important seafood company in Canada. At Clearwater under Greene’s guidance, the Canadian fishery adopted a system of transferable property rights which enabled investment to thrive.
By the early 1990s, Greene had become worried by Canada’s self-defeating deficits and so joined the Reform Party for which he was a candidate in the 1993 and 1997 elections. Mr. Greene also served as Chief of Staff to Preston Manning of the Reform Party of Canada from 1993 to 1996 during which he helped manage the opposition response to the national unity and fiscal issues of the day.
He subsequently worked in the insurance industry and became engaged in national and international insurance issues.
In 2006, he became Principal Secretary and Deputy Chief of Staff to Nova Scotia Premier Rodney MacDonald with wide responsibilities to help the Premier administer an effective government for Nova Scotians. He played a significant role in fixing the Atlantic Accord and bringing value to the Crown Share.
He was appointed to the Senate in December, 2008.
Mr. Greene was born in Montreal and went to high school in Lorne Park, Mississauga, Ontario. He has an Honours BA from McMaster University and an MA from Dalhousie University. He lives in Halifax.