Rafah DiCostanzo

DiCostanzo is a member of the Nova Scotia Liberal Party. First elected in 2017, DiCostanzo became the first Iraqi-Canadian elected to the Nova Scotia House of Assembly. she has represented the electoral district of Clayton Park West since 2017.^[2]

DiCostanzo and other community leaders set up a "Stop Littering Committee" in Clayton Park West and challenged other MLAs to help reduce litter and start a conversation about waste management in their ridings.^[3]

DiCostanzo is currently the Liberal Caucus Chair and vice-Chair of the Community Services Committee, and Chair of the Human Resources Committee, and Chair of the Veterans Affairs Committee, and Chair of the Private and Local Bills Committee, and Chair of the Health Committee, and Vice-Chair of the Natural Resources and Economic Development Committee. DiCostanzo is a member of the Public Accounts, Internal Affairs and Law Amendments Committees. She is also a member of the House of Assembly Management Commission.

DiCostanzo was re-elected in the 2021 provincial election.^[4]

As of September 22, 2024, she serves as the Official Opposition critic for Immigration, the Office of Mental Health and Addictions, and Seniors & Long Term Care.

In October 2024, DiCostanzo announced that she would not run in the 2024 Nova Scotia general election on account of her health, having ended cancer treatments in October previous year.^[5]