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Five key issues as Nova Scotia heads into a provincial election campaign

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HALIFAX – Nova Scotians are set to go to the polls in a provincial election called for Nov. 26. Here are five key issues the Progressive Conservatives, Liberals and NDP are expected to highlight during the campaign:

Health care

The Progressive Conservatives were elected in 2021 on a pledge to “fix” the province’s ailing system. The Tories say they have made inroads in recruiting doctors and nurses and in providing more resources for emergency medical care, while the Liberals and NDP will highlight the 145,000 Nova Scotians who still don’t have access to a family doctor.

Affordable housing

Homelessness has become a growing problem in the province, with 1,287 people in the Halifax Regional Municipality alone reporting they were without housing as of early October. The Tories have extended a five per cent rent cap and plan to build 273 new public housing units, but the Liberals and NDP say the use of fixed-term leases undermines the rent cap and the government has only scratched the surface of what’s needed to create affordable homes.

Cost of living

The Tories are promising to lower the province’s harmonized sales tax by one percentage point to 14 per cent from 15 on April 1, while they have also brought in a province-wide school lunch program. The Liberals have advocated for a two percentage point cut in the HST and free public transit, while the NDP says it would establish rent control and provide a tax credit for renters from low- and middle-income households.

Climate change

The province has endured a number of severe weather events that damaged infrastructure and claimed lives over the last three years. The Tories have pledged to get the province off coal-fired electrical generation by 2030 and to kickstart an offshore wind industry. The Liberals and NDP will highlight the government’s controversial decision to scrap the Coastal Protection Act, which was passed in the legislature with all-party support in 2019, but was never proclaimed as law.

Ottawa

The Tories have made it clear that they plan to make Nova Scotia’s relationship with the federal government an issue. They are opposed to Ottawa’s carbon pricing scheme and want the federal government to pay the entire cost of work needed to protect the Chignecto Isthmus between New Brunswick and Nova Scotia from flooding. However, the Liberals and NDP say the Tories are simply trying to divert the public’s attention away from their own lack of action in tackling climate-related issues.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 27, 2024.

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.



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A look at Tim Houston, leader of the Nova Scotia Progressive Conservatives

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HALIFAX – Tim Houston, leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Nova Scotia, is seeking a second mandate as premier.

Born: April 10, 1970.

Early years: Born in Halifax and raised in a military family, he grew up on military bases in Prince Edward Island, Ontario and British Columbia before returning to live in Halifax.

Education: A chartered accountant, he graduated with a bachelor of commerce from Saint Mary’s University in Halifax in 1992.

Family: He and his wife Carol have two children, Paget and Zachary.

Before politics: Worked as an accountant for Deloitte and in the reinsurance industry in Bermuda before returning to Nova Scotia in 2007.

Politics: Successfully sought the PC nomination in 2012 for the provincial riding of Pictou East and was elected to the legislature in 2013. He was re-elected in 2017 and in 2018 won the party leadership. He was sworn in as premier after the August 2021 provincial election.

Quote: When asked this week whether an election was imminent. “It could be that we need to send a message to the federal government that Nova Scotians are united on what matters … and we need to take a strong position when we are negotiating with them on different issues.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 27, 2024.

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.



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A look at Claudia Chender, leader of the Nova Scotia New Democrats

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HALIFAX – Claudia Chender, leader of the Nova Scotia NDP, will be leading her first provincial campaign since taking the reins of the party.

Born: July 29, 1976.

Early years: Raised in Nova Scotia

Education: A lawyer by training, she graduated with a bachelor of arts from Dalhousie University in Halifax in 1999. She received her bachelor of laws from the University of Victoria in 2004.

Family: She and her husband Jamie have three school-aged children.

Before politics: She worked as a legal educator with the Nova Scotia Barrister’s Society and as an associate publisher for a non-profit media company and also worked as a consultant in organizational design and development.

Politics: She was first elected to represent the riding of Dartmouth South in 2017 and was re-elected in 2021. She was elected party leader in June 2022.

Quote: “He can try to convince Nova Scotians that this is about Ottawa, but it’s about Nova Scotia and here we have a government that was elected to fix health care and they have not done it.” Chender when asked this week about Premier Tim Houston calling a potential election.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 27, 2024.

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.



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A look at Zach Churchill, leader of the Nova Scotia Liberal party

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HALIFAX – Zach Churchill will be taking the Liberal Party of Nova Scotia into its first provincial election since he became leader.

Born: May 25, 1984.

Early years: He was raised in Yarmouth, N.S., where his mother was a teacher and entrepreneur. He is a descendant of Lebanese immigrants.

Education: He graduated with a bachelor of arts from Saint Mary’s University in Halifax in 2007.

Family: He and his wife Katie have two young daughters, Cecelia and Eva.

Before politics: He was a leader in student politics and after graduation was national director of the Canadian Alliance of Student Associations.

Politics: He was first elected to the provincial legislature in a 2010 byelection at the age of 26, representing the riding of Yarmouth. He was re-elected in 2013, 2017 and 2021. During the Liberals’ time in power after the 2013 election he held cabinet portfolios including health, education, natural resources and municipal affairs. He was elected party leader in July 2022.

Quote: When asked this week whether there is a legitimate reason for Premier Tim Houston to call an election. “I don’t think there is one right now. He has a majority government and he set a fixed election date in law … and we have to highlight that he’s willing to break that promise.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 27, 2024.

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.



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