Nova Scotia Premier Iain Rankin repeatedly dodged questions from reporters Wednesday about whether he was drunk when arrested and charged for impaired driving in 2005.
"As I said Monday, I want to reiterate that I'm very, very sorry for my actions as someone that was very young," he said at a news conference Wednesday.
"It's regrettable that I have to relive that experience right now."
Rankin addressed two sets of impaired driving charges at the top of Monday's COVID-19 briefing — one from 2003, when he was 20, and one from 2005, when he was 22.
It was the first time he had divulged that part of his past in a public forum, although he said it was well known among family and friends. Rankin said he had previously disclosed the charges to the Liberal Party and to former premier Stephen McNeil.
The 38-year-old premier said the disclosure was prompted by questions raised from within his office. Those questions originated from allnovascotia.com reporter Brian Flinn, who had requested an interview with the premier earlier Monday.
Rankin pleaded guilty to the 2003 charge, was fined $1,200 and had his licence suspended for a year.
When it comes to the 2005 charge, Rankin went to trial and was found guilty of impaired driving. He was sentenced to 14 days of jail time, but the conviction was later overturned on appeal. The charge was dismissed on retrial.
On Monday, Rankin characterized those events as having been found "innocent." When asked about that characterization on Wednesday, he said, "Well, we have a court of law that determines the outcome in this province."
"I make no excuses for the kind of lifestyle that I lived when I was in my early 20s, so I want to be clear about that," he said. "I regret that alcohol was a big part of my life in my early 20s. I've moved on and I've lived a more safe lifestyle since in my 30s."
He divulged that he will become a father for the first time in November.
Premier Rankin dodges questions about impaired driving charge from 2005 - CBC.ca
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