George Isaac Smith

George Isaac Smith
18th Premier of Nova Scotia
In office
September 13, 1967 – October 28, 1970
MonarchElizabeth II
Lieutenant GovernorHenry P. MacKeen
Victor deB. Oland
Preceded byRobert Stanfield
Succeeded byGerald Regan
MLA for Colchester
In office
June 9, 1949 – April 2, 1974
Preceded byGordon Purdy
Robert F. McLellan
Succeeded byMelinda MacLean
Floyd Tucker
Senator for Colchester
In office
August 7, 1975 – December 19, 1982
Appointed byPierre Trudeau
Personal details
Born(1909-04-06)April 6, 1909
Stewiacke, Nova Scotia, Canada
DiedDecember 19, 1982(1982-12-19) (aged 73)
Truro, Nova Scotia, Canada
Political partyProgressive Conservative
Occupationlawyer

George Isaac Smith MBE (April 6, 1909 – December 19, 1982) was a Canadian lawyer and politician who served as the 18th premier of Nova Scotia from 1967 to 1970. He was a Canadian senator from 1975 until his death. G.I. Smith is noted for having recruited Robert Stanfield to help rebuild and lead the Progressive Conservatives in Nova Scotia. While premier he brought Michelin Tire, still Nova Scotia's biggest employer, to the province. He established the Nova Scotia Human Rights Commission, and had the government take over Sydney Steel Corporation when its corporate owners quit the industry. His government also established the affordable housing community of Lower Sackville.

Earlier in his ministerial years, as highways minister (1956–62) he built the Bicentennial Highway and paved many miles of roads throughout the province. As finance and economics minister (1962–67) He was most noted for creating the Voluntary Economic Planning organization through which, business labour and community and academic leaders worked to develop economic plans for the province.

Smith also worked with Premier Stanfield and cabinet colleagues to create Industrial Estates Limited, a body designed to attract industry to Nova Scotia.