James Boyle Uniacke led the first responsible government

Responsible government

Responsible government is a conception of a system of government that embodies the principle of parliamentary accountability which is the foundation of the Westminster system of parliamentary democracy...

 in Canada

Canada

Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...

 or any colony of the British Empire

British Empire

The British Empire comprised the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom. It originated with the overseas colonies and trading posts established by England in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. At its height, it was the...

. He was the first Premier

Premier

Premier is a title for the head of government in some countries and states.-Examples by country:In many nations, "premier" is used interchangeably with "prime minister"...

 of Nova Scotia

Nova Scotia

Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...

 from 1848 to 1854 serving concurrently as the colony's Attorney-General.

The son of Richard John Uniacke

Richard John Uniacke

Richard John Uniacke was a lawyer, politician, member of the Nova Scotia Legislative Assembly and Attorney General of Nova Scotia....

, James was born to politics and entered the colony's legislative assembly

Legislative Assembly

Legislative Assembly is the name given in some countries to either a legislature, or to one of its branch.The name is used by a number of member-states of the Commonwealth of Nations, as well as a number of Latin American countries....

 in 1832 as a Conservative. In 1838 he joined the Executive Council

Executive Council (Commonwealth countries)

An Executive Council in Commonwealth constitutional practice based on the Westminster system is a constitutional organ which exercises executive power and advises the governor or governor-general. Executive Councils often make decisions via Orders in Council.Executive Councillors are informally...

 and became a Reform

Reform

Reform means to put or change into an improved form or condition; to amend or improve by change of color or removal of faults or abuses, beneficial change, more specifically, reversion to a pure original state, to repair, restore or to correct....

er during the struggle for responsible government culminating in the 1848 election, the first under responsible government, which resulted in a Liberal Party administration led by Uniacke with Howe becoming more prominent after 1851 as Uniacke's health declined.

Uniacke worked closely with Joseph Howe

Joseph Howe

Joseph Howe, PC was a Nova Scotian journalist, politician, and public servant. He is one of Nova Scotia's greatest and best-loved politicians...

, the most influential reform politician of the era and put Howe in his cabinet as Provincial Secretary

Provincial Secretary

The Provincial Secretary was a senior position in the executive councils of British North America's colonial governments, and was retained by the Canadian provincial governments for at least a century after Canadian Confederation was proclaimed in 1867...

. The two politicians worked to adapt Nova Scotia's institutions to the new democratic forms. Uniacke retired as Premier in 1854 to become commissioner of crown lands and surveyor general.

In 1832, Uniacke married Rosina Jane, the daughter of John Black

John Black (New Brunswick merchant)

John Black was a Scottish-born merchant and politician in New Brunswick. He represented Northumberland in the Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick from 1793 to 1795....

.