Photo Conservative Party of Canada

The leader of Canada’s official opposition was speaking to southern Nova Scotia Tuesday.

Erin O’Toole spoke virtually with members of the Bridgewater, Annapolis and Yarmouth Chambers of Commerce.

The leader of the Conservative Party of Canada was joined by area Members of Parliament Rick Perkins and Chris d’Entrement.

O’Toole started the hour-long session by taking aim at the Trudeau government record on inflation and pandemic recovery plan.

“All the spending is contributing to inflation but it’s also not securing a strong enough economy. Canada spent more per capita than most of our peers in response to COVID yet we’ve seen some of the weakest results.”

O’Toole says Canada trails recovery plans by the US and several European countries.

The opposition leader says the government is also failing to deliver on promises of more personal protective equipment for those on the frontlines of the COVID pandemic.

O’Toole says his party would send an additional $60 billion over the next 10 years to the provinces to improve long term care and healthcare systems.

“And I think with the Houston government’s commitment to health care, I think they need that type of federal partner that is not giving them one- or two-year plans. We need long-term, guaranteed funding so we can prepare our system for the future.”

During the session, O’Toole leaned-in to his ties to Nova Scotia; he was stationed here during his military career and attended law school at Dalhousie university, where he also met his wife.

He says the Liberals have largely ignored Nova Scotia in their time in office, suggesting a Conservative government would correct that oversight.

E-mail: edhalversonnews@gmail.com
Twitter: @edwardhalverson

To listen to the broadcast of this story, press play below.

MP-elect for South Shore-St.Margaret’s Rick Perkins. Photo contributed by office of Rick Perkins

The recently elected member of parliament for South Shore-St.Margaret’s will be sworn in this week.

Rick Perkins defeated incumbent MP Bernadette Jordan to win the seat in September’s federal election.

Perkins says the process to take your seat in the House of Commons after winning an election is a long one.

“Elections Canada has to certify the results in the riding first, which took about a week. Then they send it off to Elections Canada in Ottawa which takes another week or two. They actually do it by Canada Post,” said Perkins. “Then once Elections Canada have certified the result, they transfer it to the Speaker’s office in the House of Commons who then has a whole process where it has to be published in the Canada Gazette and then they schedule your swearing-in.”

Perkins will be sworn in this Wednesday.

In the month since he was elected, Perkins has been busy flying to Ottawa for orientation with other new MPs and setting up his constituency offices in Bridgewater and Barrington.

Perkins will take over the same space in Bridgewater occupied by his predecessor at 129  Aberdeen Road.

He is also establishing a satellite office in the municipal building in Barrington to service constituents in Shelburne County.

Perkins says often when an outgoing MP is vacating their office, files they had been working on will be destroyed for privacy issues and he doesn’t want anyone to fall through the cracks.

“If there were active cases with the previous MP’s office, we are totally unaware of them. So, obviously, encouraging people who had an active case to try and reconnect with the office,” said Perkins.

That can be done by contacting Perkins through e-mail: rick.perkins@parl.gc.ca or by phone (902) 527-5655.

During the election campaign, Perkins was a strong proponent for the fisheries and is set to continue his advocacy for that group in Ottawa.

In the meetings he has had with Conservative Party leader Erin O’Toole, Perkins has been very clear about his desire to work on the fisheries file.

“He’s even started to call me Mr. Fish when he introduces me to people. I hope that’s done with respect, but I don’t mind being called Mr. Fish ‘cause that’s a critical industry in our community,” said Perkins. “I gather from that, that he has some idea and inclination about what I’m going to be fighting for.”

Perkins expects his offices will be online and ready to serve constituents later this week.

His swearing-in ceremony will be broadcast live on Facebook at 2:30pm Wednesday.

E-mail: edhalversonnews@gmail.com
Twitter: @edwardhalverson

To listen to the broadcast of this story, press play below.