Howe was a leading politician in Nova Scotia and served as the province's premier on three occasions. He was also a journalist, lawyer, and orator. Howe was a passionate advocate for responsible government and for the rights of Nova Scotia within Confederation. He believed that Nova Scotia would benefit from joining a larger political union with the other British North American colonies.
Howe played a key role in the Charlottetown Conference of 1864, which was the first meeting of delegates from the British North American colonies to discuss Confederation. He also attended the Quebec Conference of 1864, where the terms of Confederation were negotiated. Howe was one of the signatories of the Quebec Resolutions, which formed the basis of the British North America Act, the constitutional document that created the Dominion of Canada.
After Confederation, Howe served in the Canadian House of Commons and the Canadian Senate. He continued to advocate for the rights of Nova Scotia and for the development of the Canadian economy. Howe died in 1873. He is considered one of the most important figures in Canadian history.