UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 Form 13F Form 13F COVER PAGE Report for the Calendar Year or Quarter Ended: March 31, 2008 Check here if Amendment [ ]; Amendment Number: This Amendment (Check only one.): [ ] is a restatement. [ ] adds new holdings entries. Institutional Investment Manager Filing this Report: Name: The Bank of Nova Scotia Address: 40 King St. West Scotia Plaza 9th Floor Toronto, Ontario M5H 1H1 13F File Number: 28-11475 The institutional investment manager filing this report and the person by whom it is signed hereby represent that the person signing the report is authorized to submit it, that all information contained herein is true, correct and complete, and that it is understood that all required items, statements, schedules, lists, and tables, are considered integral parts of this form. Person Signing this Report on Behalf of Reporting Manager: Name: Abdurrehman Muhammadi Title: Vice President, Financial Accounting and Reporting Phone: 416-866-7898 Signature, Place, and Date of Signing: /s/ Abdurrehman Muhammadi Toronto, On, Canada May 06, 2008 Report Type (Check only one.): [ ] 13F HOLDINGS REPORT. [ ] 13F NOTICE. [ X] 13F COMBINATION REPORT. List of Other Managers Reporting for this Manager: Form 13F File Number Name 28-11461 Scotia Capital Inc. 28-11460 Scotia Cassels Investment Counsel Ltd. 28-11459 Bank of Nova Scotia Trust Co. FORM 13F SUMMARY PAGE Report Summary: Number of Other Included Managers: 1 Form13F Information Table Entry Total: 158 Form13F Information Table Value Total: $17,692,791 (thousands) List of Other Included Managers: Provide a numbered list of the name(s) and Form 13F file number(s) of all institutional managers with respect to which this report is filed, other than the manager filing this report. No. 13F File Number Name 28-11472 BNS Investment Inc. FORM 13F INFORMATION TABLE VALUE SHARES/ SH/ PUT/ INVSTMT OTHER VOTING AUTHORITY NAME OF ISSUER TITLE OF CLASS CUSIP (x$1000) PRN AMT PRN CALL DSCRETN MANAGERS SOLE SHARED NONE ------------------------------ ---------------- --------- -------- -------- --- ---- ------- ------------ -------- -------- -------- 3M CO COM 88579Y101 966 12245 SH DEFINED 1 12245 0 0 ACCENTURE LTD BERMUDA CL A G1150G111 879 25000 SH SOLE 25000 0 0 AGNICO EAGLE MINES LTD COM 008474108 15200 224107 SH SOLE 224107 0 0 AGRIUM INC COM 008916108 15866 255436 SH SOLE 255436 0 0 ALCOA INC COM 013817101 426 11845 SH DEFINED 1 11845 0 0 ALTRIA GROUP INC COM 02209S103 282 12745 SH DEFINED 1 12745 0 0 AMERICAN EXPRESS CO COM 025816109 555 12745 SH DEFINED 1 12745 0 0 AMERICAN INTL GROUP INC COM 026874107 548 12715 SH DEFINED 1 12715 0 0 AMGEN INC COM 031162100 4178 100000 SH SOLE 100000 0 0 ANADARKO PETE CORP COM 032511107 9455 150000 SH SOLE 150000 0 0 ANHEUSER BUSCH COS INC COM 035229103 3559 75000 SH SOLE 75000 0 0 APPLE INC COM 037833100 486 4000 SH DEFINED 1 4000 0 0 AT&T INC COM 00206R102 467 12245 SH DEFINED 1 12245 0 0 BALLARD PWR SYS INC COM 05858H104 261 63000 SH SOLE 63000 0 0 BANK MONTREAL QUE COM 063671101 982530 21949312 SH SOLE 21949312 0 0 BANK OF AMERICA CORPORATION COM 060505104 23694 625000 SH SOLE 625000 0 0 BARRICK GOLD CORP COM 067901108 173163 3960688 SH SOLE 3960688 0 0 BCE INC COM NEW 05534B760 4756 140500 SH SOLE 1 140500 0 0 BCE INC COM NEW 05534B760 1185502 35019222 SH SOLE 35019222 0 0 BIOVAIL CORP COM 09067J109 50212 4664610 SH SOLE 4664610 0 0 BOEING CO COM 097023105 944 12745 SH DEFINED 1 12745 0 0 BRISTOL MYERS SQUIBB CO COM 110122108 2663 125000 SH SOLE 125000 0 0 BROOKFIELD ASSET MGMT INC CL A LTD VT SH 112585104 560237 20791149 SH SOLE 20791149 0 0 BROOKFIELD PPTYS CORP COM 112900105 25924 1343885 SH SOLE 1343885 0 0 CAE INC COM 124765108 16755 1478832 SH SOLE 1478832 0 0 CAMECO CORP COM 13321L108 34187 1037039 SH SOLE 1037039 0 0 CANADIAN NAT RES LTD COM 136385101 187193 2734502 SH SOLE 2734502 0 0 CANADIAN NATL RY CO COM 136375102 244211 5036918 SH SOLE 5036918 0 0 CANADIAN PAC RY LTD COM 13645T100 51272 797428 SH SOLE 797428 0 0 CATERPILLAR INC DEL COM 149123101 955 12240 SH DEFINED 1 12240 0 0 CDN IMPERIAL BK OF COMMERCE COM 136069101 979496 15211124 SH SOLE 15211124 0 0 CEMEX SAB DE CV SPON ADR NEW 151290889 17631 675000 SH SOLE 675000 0 0 CHC HELICOPTER CORP CL A SUB VTG 12541C203 38352 1295000 SH SOLE 1295000 0 0 CHESAPEAKE ENERGY CORP COM 165167107 4615 100000 SH SOLE 100000 0 0 CITIGROUP INC COM 172967101 252 11830 SH DEFINED 1 11830 0 0 CITIGROUP INC COM 172967101 16601 775000 SH SOLE 775000 0 0 CLEARPOINT BUSINESS RES INC COM 185061108 549 840000 SH SOLE 840000 0 0 COCA COLA CO COM 191216100 3044 50000 SH SOLE 50000 0 0 COCA COLA CO COM 191216100 773 12745 SH DEFINED 1 12745 0 0 COMPANHIA VALE DO RIO DOCE SPONSORED ADR 204412209 1938 56000 SH SOLE 56000 0 0 COMPANIA DE MINAS BUENAVENTU SPONSORED ADR 204448104 2740 40000 SH DEFINED 1 40000 0 0 CONCUR TECHNOLOGIES INC COM 206708109 457 14709 SH SOLE 14709 0 0 CORUS ENTERTAINMENT INC COM CL B NON VTG 220874101 11697 666666 SH SOLE 666666 0 0 CVS CAREMARK CORPORATION COM 126650100 6077 150000 SH SOLE 150000 0 0 DENISON MINES CORP COM 248356107 1146 181500 SH SOLE 181500 0 0 DISNEY WALT CO COM DISNEY 254687106 367 11745 SH DEFINED 1 11745 0 0 DOW CHEM CO COM 260543103 10134 275000 SH SOLE 275000 0 0 DU PONT E I DE NEMOURS & CO COM 263534109 552 11845 SH DEFINED 1 11845 0 0 E TRADE FINANCIAL CORP COM 269246104 77 20000 SH SOLE 20000 0 0 EL PASO CORP COM 28336L109 3328 200000 SH SOLE 200000 0 0 ENBRIDGE INC COM 29250N105 659402 15990478 SH SOLE 15990478 0 0 ENCANA CORP COM 292505104 407695 5354262 SH SOLE 5354262 0 0 ENERPLUS RES FD UNIT TR G NEW 29274D604 31480 723886 SH SOLE 723886 0 0 ENTERRA ENERGY TR TR UNIT 29381P102 412 225000 SH SOLE 225000 0 0 ERICSSON L M TEL CO ADR B SEK 10 294821608 8444 430100 SH SOLE 430100 0 0 EXXON MOBIL CORP COM 30231G102 1074 12745 SH DEFINED 1 12745 0 0 FLEXTRONICS INTL LTD ORD Y2573F102 1878 200000 SH SOLE 200000 0 0 FORDING CDN COAL TR TR UNIT 345425102 12683 242260 SH SOLE 242260 0 0 GENERAL ELECTRIC CO COM 369604103 437 11845 SH DEFINED 1 11845 0 0 GENERAL ELECTRIC CO COM 369604103 8327 225000 SH SOLE 225000 0 0 GENERAL MTRS CORP COM 370442105 225 11845 SH DEFINED 1 11845 0 0 GENEREX BIOTECHNOLOGY CP DEL COM 371485103 1496 1360300 SH SOLE 1360300 0 0 GILDAN ACTIVEWEAR INC COM 375916103 6114 162100 SH SOLE 162100 0 0 GLAXOSMITHKLINE PLC SPONSORED ADR 37733W105 216 5100 SH SOLE 5100 0 0 GOLDCORP INC NEW COM 380956409 54760 1409152 SH SOLE 1409152 0 0 HALLIBURTON CO COM 406216101 7866 200000 SH SOLE 200000 0 0 HARRY WINSTON DIAMOND CORP COM 41587B100 7187 300000 SH SOLE 300000 0 0 HARVEST ENERGY TR TRUST UNIT 41752X101 26520 1183809 SH SOLE 1183809 0 0 HEWLETT PACKARD CO COM 428236103 541 11895 SH DEFINED 1 11895 0 0 HOME DEPOT INC COM 437076102 327 11745 SH DEFINED 1 11745 0 0 HOME DEPOT INC COM 437076102 8391 300000 SH SOLE 300000 0 0 HONEYWELL INTL INC COM 438516106 716 12745 SH DEFINED 1 12745 0 0 IMPERIAL OIL LTD COM NEW 453038408 448620 8559634 SH SOLE 8559634 0 0 INTEL CORP COM 458140100 248 11745 SH DEFINED 1 11745 0 0 INTEL CORP COM 458140100 2118 100000 SH SOLE 100000 0 0 INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHS COM 459200101 1347 11745 SH DEFINED 1 11745 0 0 INTEROIL CORP COM 460951106 4484 265470 SH SOLE 265470 0 0 JOHNSON & JOHNSON COM 478160104 759 11745 SH DEFINED 1 11745 0 0 JOHNSON & JOHNSON COM 478160104 11352 175000 SH SOLE 175000 0 0 JP MORGAN CHASE & CO COM 46625H100 545 12745 SH DEFINED 1 12745 0 0 KINROSS GOLD CORP COM NO PAR 496902404 21402 959333 SH SOLE 959333 0 0 LULULEMON ATHLETICA INC COM 550021109 5641 198100 SH SOLE 198100 0 0 LUNDIN MINING CORP COM 550372106 3531 517853 SH SOLE 517853 0 0 MAGNA INTL INC CL A 559222401 26456 363838 SH SOLE 363838 0 0 MANULIFE FINL CORP COM 56501R106 1980827 51751558 SH SOLE 51751558 0 0 MASTERCARD INC CL A 57636Q104 7285 32668 SH SOLE 32668 0 0 MCDONALDS CORP COM 580135101 653 11745 SH DEFINED 1 11745 0 0 MDS INC COM 55269P302 7153 367148 SH SOLE 367148 0 0 MERCK & CO INC COM 589331107 463 12245 SH DEFINED 1 12245 0 0 MERRILL LYNCH & CO INC COM 590188108 2037 50000 SH SOLE 50000 0 0 METHANEX CORP COM 59151K108 42230 1605498 SH SOLE 1605498 0 0 MI DEVS INC CL A SUB VTG 55304X104 27993 959412 SH SOLE 959412 0 0 MICROSOFT CORP COM 594918104 332 11745 SH DEFINED 1 11745 0 0 MINEFINDERS LTD COM 602900102 1218 100000 SH SOLE 100000 0 0 MOLSON COORS BREWING CO CL B 60871R209 3368 64270 SH SOLE 64270 0 0 MOODYS CORP COM 615369105 871 25000 SH SOLE 25000 0 0 NEUROCHEM INC COM 64125K101 349 220900 SH SOLE 220900 0 0 NEW GOLD INC CDA COM 644535106 1567 225000 SH SOLE 225000 0 0 NEXEN INC COM 65334H102 94730 3192441 SH SOLE 3192441 0 0 NISOURCE INC COM 65473P105 5172 300000 SH SOLE 300000 0 0 NORTEL NETWORKS CORP NEW COM NEW 656568508 4665 684064 SH SOLE 684064 0 0 NORTHERN DYNASTY MINERALS LT COM NEW 66510M204 2289 250000 SH SOLE 250000 0 0 NOVA CHEMICALS CORP COM 66977W109 42450 1775442 SH SOLE 1775442 0 0 NOVAGOLD RES INC COM NEW 66987E206 777 100000 SH SOLE 100000 0 0 OPEN TEXT CORP COM 683715106 5790 183000 SH SOLE 183000 0 0 ORBITAL SCIENCES CORP COM 685564106 349 14500 SH DEFINED 1 0 0 14500 PAETEC HOLDING CORP COM 695459107 5569 836205 SH SOLE 836205 0 0 PENGROWTH ENERGY TR TR UNIT NEW 706902509 2700 140901 SH SOLE 140901 0 0 PENN WEST ENERGY TR TR UNIT 707885109 24497 873327 SH SOLE 873327 0 0 PETRO-CDA COM 71644E102 134403 3085253 SH SOLE 3085253 0 0 PFIZER INC COM 717081103 255 12245 SH DEFINED 1 12245 0 0 PFIZER INC COM 717081103 18314 875000 SH SOLE 875000 0 0 POPULAR INC COM 733174106 2041 175000 SH SOLE 175000 0 0 POTASH CORP SASK INC COM 73755L107 171517 1103833 SH SOLE 1103833 0 0 PRECISION DRILLING TR TR UNIT 740215108 1138 48895 SH SOLE 48895 0 0 PROCTER & GAMBLE CO COM 742718109 816 11695 SH DEFINED 1 11695 0 0 PROVIDENT ENERGY TR TR UNIT 74386K104 2247 210956 SH SOLE 210956 0 0 QLOGIC CORP COM 747277101 1535 100000 SH SOLE 100000 0 0 QUALITY SYS INC COM 747582104 2987 100000 SH SOLE 100000 0 0 RESEARCH IN MOTION LTD COM 760975102 83150 739053 SH SOLE 739053 0 0 ROGERS COMMUNICATIONS INC CL B 775109200 32098 892454 SH SOLE 892454 0 0 ROYAL BK CDA MONTREAL QUE COM 780087102 2689314 57572370 SH SOLE 57572370 0 0 SAP AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT SPONSORED ADR 803054204 1239 25000 SH SOLE 25000 0 0 SCHERING PLOUGH CORP COM 806605101 768 53325 SH SOLE 53325 0 0 SHAW COMMUNICATIONS INC CL B CONV 82028K200 42541 2325448 SH SOLE 2325448 0 0 SHERWIN WILLIAMS CO COM 824348106 10208 200000 SH SOLE 200000 0 0 SIERRA WIRELESS INC COM 826516106 480 30000 SH SOLE 30000 0 0 SILICON IMAGE INC COM 82705T102 501 100000 SH SOLE 100000 0 0 SILVER WHEATON CORP COM 828336107 4135 266294 SH SOLE 266294 0 0 SMTC CORP COM NEW 832682207 858 469082 SH SOLE 469082 0 0 SOURCE INTERLINK COS INC COM NEW 836151209 114 60035 SH SOLE 60035 0 0 SOUTHERN COPPER CORP COM 84265V105 745 7176 SH DEFINED 1 7176 0 0 SOUTHWEST GAS CORP COM 844895102 3523 126000 SH SOLE 126000 0 0 SUN LIFE FINL INC COM 866796105 925073 19787237 SH SOLE 19787237 0 0 SUNCOR ENERGY INC COM 867229106 214982 2224622 SH SOLE 2224622 0 0 SUNOCO INC COM 86764P109 7871 150000 SH SOLE 150000 0 0 TALISMAN ENERGY INC COM 87425E103 415229 23406555 SH SOLE 23406555 0 0 TATA MTRS LTD SPONSORED ADR 876568502 3038 194500 SH SOLE 194500 0 0 TECK COMINCO LTD CL B 878742204 591530 14426570 SH SOLE 14426570 0 0 TELUS CORP NON-VTG SHS 87971M202 219886 5218890 SH SOLE 5218890 0 0 THOMSON CORP COM 884903105 273067 8120048 SH SOLE 8120048 0 0 TIM HORTONS INC COM 88706M103 9900 290775 SH SOLE 290775 0 0 TONGJITANG CHINESE MED CO SPON ADR 89025E103 1110 135000 SH SOLE 135000 0 0 TORONTO DOMINION BK ONT COM NEW 891160509 1984613 32280235 SH SOLE 32280235 0 0 TRANSALTA CORP COM 89346D107 184094 5919599 SH SOLE 5919599 0 0 TRANSALTA CORP COM 89346D107 54435 1750000 SH SOLE 1 1750000 0 0 TRANSCANADA CORP COM 89353D107 26007 675000 SH SOLE 1 675000 0 0 TRANSCANADA CORP COM 89353D107 791715 20577450 SH SOLE 20577450 0 0 UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORP COM 913017109 839 12240 SH DEFINED 1 12240 0 0 VALERO ENERGY CORP NEW COM 91913Y100 4911 100000 SH SOLE 100000 0 0 VERIZON COMMUNICATIONS INC COM 92343V104 426 11745 SH DEFINED 1 11745 0 0 WACHOVIA CORP NEW COM 929903102 12758 472500 SH SOLE 472500 0 0 WAL MART STORES INC COM 931142103 637 12145 SH DEFINED 1 12145 0 0 WAL MART STORES INC COM 931142103 10536 200000 SH SOLE 200000 0 0 WEIGHT WATCHERS INTL INC NEW COM 948626106 905 19534 SH DEFINED 1 0 0 19534 WHOLE FOODS MKT INC COM 966837106 1649 50000 SH SOLE 50000 0 0 YAMANA GOLD INC COM 98462Y100 15497 1056319 SH SOLE 1056319 0 0 ZALE CORP NEW COM 988858106 1976 100000 SH SOLE 100000 0 0