Newly elected South Shore-St. Margarets MP Jessica Fancy-Landry speaks to a voter in Liverpool earlier in the campaign. (Rick Conrad)
UPDATED TUESDAY at 5:20 P.M.
Voters in South Shore-St. Margarets went back to the Liberals on Monday night, electing first-time candidate Jessica Fancy-Landry in a decisive victory.
Fancy-Landry beat Conservative incumbent Rick Perkins by about 7,000 votes, grabbing 55 per cent support.
The Liberal got 27,871 votes to Perkins’s 20,854, according to preliminary results from Elections Canada.
“I think it was our positivity,” she told QCCR in an interview.
“We ran a very positive and clean and energetic campaign and I think that really resonated with a lot of people here.”
Turnout in the riding was just over 72 per cent, which was higher than the national rate of about 67 per cent.
Fancy-Landry is originally from Caledonia and now lives in Bridgewater. She’s a teacher at Forest Heights Community School in Chester Basin.
Perkins was first elected in 2021, ousting then-fisheries minister Bernadette Jordan.
Fancy-Landry said the big issue on the campaign trail was affordability and people’s concerns over the cost of living.
“Also, Trump and tariffs and then being a coastal riding, definitely fisheries,” she said.
“But I really think right now it’s time to unify all of our community and really build on this positivity and build trust back where the Liberal Party might have lost trust in a couple of different areas within the riding.”
She said she believes growing up in the area helped cement her win.
“I think that was my secret sauce. We need someone who has been here, has their feet on the street, has raised their kids here and really knows those intimate concerns and issues for the area and has the connections to bring people together.
“I really think it was that positivity in bringing people together that really spoke to a lot of people because politics right now is just so divisive. And we need to unify as a nation. And I really felt like … now that we have that mandate, we can start doing a lot of really good work.”
She said she’s already heard from municipal leaders from around the riding, as well as other Liberal MPs to help her in her new role.
Fancy-Landry said that in the next few weeks, she’ll be getting orientation as a first-time MP and meeting with the rest of the newly elected Liberal caucus.
She’ll also be wrapping up her career as a teacher.
But she’s looking forward to getting to work as the MP for South Shore-St. Margarets.
“That’s been my tagline for the last 37 days: ‘Let’s get to work,’” she said.
“And now we’re here and we’ve got to put our money where our mouth is and work really hard for our constituents, all constituents.”
The Green Party’s Mark Embrett finished third with 818 votes. Patrick Boyd of the People’s Party of Canada was the choice of 698 people and independent candidate Hayden Henderson got 460 votes.
Elections Canada said 50,701 of 70,205 eligible electors voted. That included just over 19,000 people who turned out for advance polls over the Easter weekend.
Katharina Cochrane, vice-president of the South Queens Chamber of Commerce, says voters seem to be ‘dialled in’ during this election. (Rick Conrad)
Nova Scotia’s South Shore is known for its ocean breezes and waterfront vistas, drawing thousands of tourists each year to relax on its many beaches.
But in the 2025 federal election campaign, there’s nothing laidback about the race to win the riding of South Shore-St. Margarets.
Incumbent Rick Perkins is trying to keep the seat for the Conservatives, while newcomer Jessica Fancy-Landry hopes to win it back for the Liberals. Mark Embrett is running for the Green Party and Patrick Boyd is representing the People’s Party of Canada. Hayden Henderson is running as an Independent.
In the 2021 election, Perkins beat Liberal incumbent Bernadette Jordan by about four per cent, or 1,800 votes. The NDP finished a strong third, capturing 19 per cent of the vote. Turnout was about 63 per cent.
This time, however, with no declared NDP candidate, it appears to be a two-way race between Conservative Perkins and Liberal Fancy-Landry in the April 28 vote.
2025 FEDERAL ELECTION: QCCR INTERVIEWS THE CANDIDATES
Perkins lives in St. Margarets Bay and says this is the most enthusiastic voters have been since he first ran in 2019.
“I’m getting a great response, a lot of people appreciating the job I’ve done for the last four years, and we’re almost running out of signs,” he told QCCR in early April.
Fancy-Landry is originally from Caledonia, Queens Co., and now lives in Bridgewater. The teacher, community volunteer and first-time candidate says it’s been an energetic campaign so far, with lots of great conversations with voters.
“Tariffs and Trump seem to be on the lips of everybody that we are talking to,” she says.
“Affordability. We’re hearing a lot about environmental (concerns), coastal impact, whether it’s fishing, whether it’s Christmas tree farming, whether it’s some of our forestry. People have really been reaching out to see what we can do to help bolster and support the different economies along our South Shore.”
The Greens’ Embrett is an implementation scientist with Nova Scotia Health. This is the Queensland resident’s first full campaign, though he’s had his name on the ballot in previous elections for the Greens.
“I decided to align myself with the Green Party because their values around equity and transparency and government and fairness and policies really echoed my own beliefs and my own values.”
The People’s Party’s Boyd is originally from Vancouver and moved to Sable River three years ago, after spending some time overseas in international banking. This the first campaign for the consultant and hobby farmer.
“We’re sicker than we’ve ever been. We’re poorer than we’ve ever been. We’re more censored than we’ve ever been. And at the same time, you can see the parties that are running, they can really be described as a globalist uniparty. So whether you’re on the Liberal side or the Conservative side, it’s really hard to differentiate or distinguish between policies.”
The riding covers a vast territory, stretching from Head of St. Margarets Bay outside Halifax to Clark’s Harbour at the southwestern tip of Nova Scotia.
In the 2021 election, it counted just under 80,000 voters. But it lost some of those electors when the boundaries were redrawn in 2023.
People seem motivated this time to get out and vote. About 19,000 people voted in advance polls over the Easter weekend, mirroring early turnout in the rest of Nova Scotia at about 25 per cent.
Katharina Cochrane is vice-president of the South Queens Chamber of Commerce.
“I think people are really dialed in on this election this time which in the past people (were) not really that interested, but even younger people, first-time voters, they’re very anxious about the whole situation with America. And in general, it’s not as easy to get yourself in a situation where you can afford a house or get a place, live a middle-class life.
“So I think people are very anxious to see some changes.”
Cochrane says some of the main concerns in the Liverpool area are housing, poverty and rural development.
“There’s a lot of low-income housing that needs to be built. We’re one of the poorest ridings, probably in Nova Scotia, so that needs to be addressed. And then the whole rural development for small businesses, like what can be done to help small businesses to get on their feet when they start up. Come up with maybe tax breaks that would be helpful for the community.”
She said the commercial fishery and the environmental impacts of open-pen fish farming are also among the issues at play.
At a recent candidates meet and greet in Liverpool, voters said the lucrative lobster fishery, the fear of Trump tariffs and the overall tenor of politics were on people’s minds.
Danielle Robertson of Port Joli said she wants to see the federal government enforce fisheries regulations to help protect an industry that generates close to $500 million for southwestern Nova Scotia.
Fishermen are upset with what they see as illegal fishing in the wake of the Marshall decisions that guaranteed Indigenous communities a moderate livelihood in the fishery.
“Where I live I can see evidence of abuse of the fishery and overfishing,” Robertson said.
“And I’ve talked to fisheries officers who feel like they’re not able to do their job. And I think our resources are really taking a hit. I think our fish are being overfished. And I’m really hoping that the federal government will step up and enforce their federal fishing policies.”
Conservative Perkins says he’s been a big advocate for fish harvesters since he was elected in 2021. And he says the Liberals haven’t done enough to crack down on poachers.
“We believe it begins with enforcing the law, and then sitting down once the law is enforced and people are abiding by the law and negotiating for more access for First Nations. As long as there’s no penalty and no enforcement, why would I come to the table to negotiate when the government lets me do whatever I want, whenever I want?”
Liberal Fancy-Landry says that she wants to bring all sides to the table, while acknowledging the Department of Fisheries and Oceans must be allowed to enforce the law.
“Another thing is how many of the fishermen have actually been brought to the table when policy and draft bills have been in place. So it’s that engagement piece,” she says.
“I think a lot of the time people feel disenfranchised or disempowered because they haven’t been asked to be at the table. … The line’s drawn in the sand right now with Conservative versus Liberal versus whatever party. It’s time for us to all come together and actually have some courageous conversations.”
Scot Slessor, a stained glass artist in Liverpool, says this election is an opportunity to tackle interprovincial trade barriers. But he says regardless of the issue, he wants more co-operation among the parties.
“I’m looking for people who are going to be willing to work together,” Slessor says.
“You know, we’ve seen that minority governments get a lot done for our country, but the way people are interacting has been extremely negative. And I’m really hopeful that we can bring that a little bit back to some civility.”
Rick Perkins, Jessica Fancy-Landry, Mark Embrett and Patrick Boyd are four of the candidates running in South Shore-St. Margarets.
QCCR has interviewed four of the candidates running in the riding of South Shore-St. Margarets in the April 28 federal election.
Conservative Rick Perkins, Liberal Jessica Fancy-Landry, the Green Party’s Mark Embrett and Patrick Boyd of the People’s Party of Canada spoke to us about various issues, including those specific to Queens County. Independent candidate Hayden Henderson did not respond to our request for an interview.
The riding covers more than 8,000 square kilometres and stretches from Tantallon outside Halifax to Clark’s Harbour in southwestern Nova Scotia. It was redrawn after the 2021 election and lost some its areas to the riding of Halifax West.
Conservative Rick Perkins defeated Liberal incumbent Bernadette Jordan in the 2021 election by about 1,800 votes. In that election, the NDP candidate got about 19 per cent of the vote.
This time, however, there is no declared NDP candidate. And the riding has lost some of its suburban Halifax voters after it was redrawn in 2023.
QCCR will be airing each of the four interviews with the candidates at 99.3 FM in Liverpool at 2:30 p.m. each day, beginning Thurs., April 24 through to April 27.
You can also follow the links below to listen to each of the interviews.
Rick Perkins is the Conservative candidate in South Shore-St. Margarets. (Rick Perkins photo)
Rick Perkins is trying to hold onto the South Shore-St. Margarets seat for the Conservative Party of Canada in the April 28 federal election.
He was first elected in 2021, ousting Liberal MP and then Fisheries Minister Bernadette Jordan by about 1,800 votes.
He’s up against Liberal Jessica Fancy-Landry, Green Party candidate Mark Embrett, People’s Party of Canada candidate Patrick Boyd and Independent Hayden Henderson.
The riding covers more than 8,000 square kilometres and stretches from Tantallon outside Halifax to Clark’s Harbour in southwestern Nova Scotia. It was redrawn after the 2021 election and lost some its areas to the riding of Halifax West.
This is the first in a series of interviews QCCR conducted with candidates about some issues specific to Queens County.
The interview was recorded on April 3 and edited for length.
The South Queens Chamber of Commerce is organizing a meet-and-greet in Liverpool with candidates in South Shore-St. Margarets. (Elections Canada)
Voters in Queens County will get a chance to meet some of the candidates vying to be the next MP for South Shore-St. Margarets.
The South Queens Chamber of Commerce and Main and Mersey Dining Room and Coffee Bar in Liverpool are teaming up for a candidate Q&A on Mon., April 21 from 4 to 6 p.m.
Ashley Christian is president of the chamber of commerce.
“The idea is a casual meet-and-greet forum,” Christian said. “What we’re going to be doing is casual networking and then allowing each of the candidates five to 10 minutes to introduce themselves to the group and then we intend to take questions from the floor. So we expect one hour of a more formal question-and-answer period and then another hour of just casual networking.”
Christian said she expects three of the five candidates to be at the event: Liberal Jessica Fancy-Landry, the Green Party’s Mark Embrett and Patrick Boyd of the People’s Party of Canada.
Conservative Rick Perkins, who is running for re-election, could not make it.
Christian did not know whether Independent candidate Hayden Henderson will be at the event. Henderson is the outreach director for the youth wing of the NDP. He was a last-minute addition to the ballot after the NDP’s Brendan Mosher dropped out and has since been endorsed by the NDP.
“We really wanted to give the citizens of Queens County an opportunity to meet everyone, hear their platforms, hear what’s important to them and ask them questions,” Christian said.
Rick Perkins, Jessica Fancy-Landry, Mark Embrett and Patrick Boyd are four of the candidates running in South Shore-St. Margarets. Not pictured is Hayden Henderson.
Four people will be trying to unseat Rick Perkins as the South Shore-St. Margarets representative in the April 28 federal election.
Perkins beat Liberal MP Bernadette Jordan in 2021, after running unsuccessfully against her in 2019.
Since the last election, the riding has been redrawn, with part of it being absorbed into Halifax West. Nominations closed on Monday.
Liberal Jessica Fancy-Landry will be trying to take the seat back from Perkins. The teacher at Forest Heights Community School in Chester Basin is originally from Caledonia and lives in Bridgewater.
Green Party candidate Mark Embrett is an implementation scientist with Nova Scotia Health and lives in Hubbards.
Patrick Boyd is running for the People’s Party of Canada. He runs a consulting firm.
The NDP don’t have a registered candidate in the riding. Their declared candidate Brendan Mosher dropped out at the last minute. According to a Facebook post on his candidate page on Tuesday, he said that he decided against running “after a long consideration and some last minute delays.”
He edited the post to say that Hayden Henderson would be running for the party in the riding.
Henderson is listed on the Elections Canada website as an Independent. According to the federal agency, “if an endorsement by a political party cannot be confirmed within 48 hours of the prospective candidate submitting their nomination paper, … the word ‘Independent’ (will) appear under their name on the ballot.”
Perkins won South Shore-St. Margarets in 2021 by about 2,000 votes, or 40 per cent. Jordan got 37 per cent, while the NDP’s Olivia Dorey captured 19 per cent.
QCCR plans to publish interviews with all candidates.
Nova Scotia Electoral Boundaries Commission members listen to citizen feedback at a public meeting in Bridgewater June 9 2022. Photo Ed Halverson
Residents delivered a message loud and clear, keep Shelburne in the South Shore.
The federal electoral boundaries commission held a hearing in Bridgewater Tuesday night to discuss how riding lines will be redrawn across the province.
The commission’s mandate is to try to distribute Nova Scotia’s population equally amongst the 11 seats.
To accommodate population growth in Halifax, the commission proposed extending the South Shore-St. Margaret’s riding further into Halifax to include areas up to Sambro and moving Shelburne into the newly named Acadian Shores riding along with Yarmouth and Digby.
All the just over a dozen people who addressed the boundaries commission said Shelburne must remain part of the South Shore.
The current Member of Parliament for South Shore St. Margaret’s Rick Perkins was first to speak.
Perkins talked at length about the historical and cultural ties between Shelburne and the rest of the South Shore.
“When you take one and slice a chunk out of it, sort of like cutting the heart out of your community. I think that’s why you saw the passion here tonight saying, I know you’ve got this problem up there in Halifax but don’t take it out on us,” said Perkins.
MP Rick Perkins addresses electoral boundary commission members. Photo Ed Halverson
Almost everyone who spoke at the hearing discussed the importance of keeping communities of interest together; communities that share not just history and culture but also industries and attitudes.
Perkins says that’s why he proposes keeping Shelburne in the South Shore riding as it has been for 50 years and moving areas such as Timberlea and Hubley into a city riding.
Perkins says that doesn’t mean he doesn’t want to serve his constituents in those areas.
“I’m happy to represent anyone that’s living in whatever riding I’m lucky enough to represent,” said Perkins. “The challenge is balancing those issues that you have to do because the perspectives of urban people and suburban people in a large city like Halifax versus small communities like ours, they do have different perspectives. You try to balance them but it’s difficult.”
Elections Canada reassess riding boundaries across the country every 10 years to ensure Canadians receive equal and fair representation.
Based on the 2021 census results each riding in Nova Scotia should represent 88,000 people.
Under special circumstances, that number can be adjusted up or down by 25 percent so an electoral district can have no fewer than 66,000 and no more than 110,000 people.
Commission chair Justice Cindy Bourgeois says they’ve received the message that their proposal is focused too much on numbers and doesn’t reflect the reality of the communities on the ground.
“So, the commission is going to go back. We’re going to listen to the information that we’ve received about here and at other meetings across the province and see whether we can come up with a revised plan for the boundaries that not only respect the numbers that we have to, in terms of the equivalency of voters in each riding, but also take into consideration other nuances that maybe we didn’t appreciate as much until we heard from people who live in the various communities,” said Bourgeois. “And that’s what the process is supposed to do.”
Nova Scotians can register to speak at a province-wide virtual public hearing to be held June 27.
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.
NDP Leader Gary Burrill and MP Rick Perkins. Photo Ed Halverson
An eventful week in Nova Scotia politics.
Leader of the provincial NDP Gary Burrill announced he is stepping down as the head of his party.
Burrill was named NPD leader in 2016, winning a seat in the riding of Halifax-Chebucto in 2017, which he still holds today.
Burrill says party membership has seen a renewal with younger voters and he is stepping aside leaving the party in a stronger position than when he assumed leadership.
“We gained a member in the election and now it’s the case that every single member of our caucus is someone who has come there since I became leader our party,” said Burrill. “I think now is the right time for us to renew ourselves, also in leadership, so that we can build on these strengths and be prepared to put our program before the people in the next election.”
The party will meet in the coming weeks to decide how the process to replace Burrill will unfold.
Burrill says NDP members will select his replacement within the year.
He says he looks forward to working with whomever is chosen and intends to continue to represent constituents in his riding.
“I will be right there. I won’t be 10 feet from our new leader or from the rest of our caucus. I am deeply immersed in our project and mission to form the next government of Nova Scotia. But I think it is my responsibility to choose the moment when it is best for us to renew ourselves in leadership as we move towards that goal, and I think that the moment for that is now,” said Burrill.
On the national stage, newly elected Member of Parliament for South Shore-St.Margaret’s Rick Perkins has made his way into Conservative Leader Erin O’Toole’s shadow cabinet.
Perkins will be the official opposition’s chief critic on Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard.
The first-time MP says it’s an honour to be chosen from among 118 caucus members to hold the government to task.
“I’m a kind of an elbows-high kinda guy,” said Perkins. “I’m not a shrinking violet so, I go into the corner with my elbows high and I dig the puck out and that’s what I plan to do for the fishermen in our community.”
Perkins says he will get to work on the file right away, going to bat for fishermen being asked to repay the Fish Harvesters Benefit, working to resolving the moderate livelihood fisheries and preparing for the launch of lobster season in a couple of weeks in two of the country’s most profitable grounds in LFAs 33 and 34 on Nova Scotia’s south shore.
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.
Rick Perkins and Bernadette Jordan at candidates debate September 7, 2021. Photo Ed Halverson
Twenty-four hours after the results of the election, the outgoing and incoming MPs are both upbeat about the result.
Conservative Rick Perkins defeated two-term Liberal incumbent Bernadette Jordan to take the riding of South Shore St. Margaret’s by a 2,000 vote margin.
Perkins ran in 2019 and says the experience helped as constituents recognized him when he came to their door.
“Well, there’s no question that this time I was much better known. Knocking on 15,000 doors in 2019 and then continuing my relationship with many of the people in the riding, the fisherman and the businesses that employ most of us in the riding, has made it easier in this campaign,” said Perkins. “When I went door to door people recognized me and remembered me.”
Perkins says he had a sense people were looking for change when he was on the doorsteps.
“The three biggest issues I got at the door was Justin Trudeau fatigue, health care and a view that people wanted a change in who their actual member of parliament was,” said Perkins.
For her part, Jordan acknowledges her role as fisheries minister contributed to the voter dissatisfaction in the riding.
“I think that it’s been a tough year and a half as the fisheries minister. Obviously the fisheries issue was a big concern for a lot of people and it translated to votes,” said Jordan. “It’s always tough being the fisheries minister because nobody really likes the person who makes the rules.”
Jordan says plans to enjoy the first stretch of time off she’s had in six years as she plans her next move.
“Community has always been extremely important to me and just because I’m not the elected official it does not mean that I will not be involved in my community. I will still be. I’m just trying to figure out in what capacity now,” said Jordan.
The outgoing minister also acknowledged her staff of five in Bridgewater and 18 in her ministerial office will now be looking for work.
“They’re all going to be fine because they’re all very smart and very capable people but it’s still really hard to see,” said Jordan. “They’ve been an amazing team that have supported me through a lot and it’s hard for people who have put their heart and soul into everything for six years to now be in a position where they are looking for something else.”
Reflecting on her time in office Jordan is proud of many accomplishments including: enshrining owner/operator into law, the removal of the Cormorant from the LaHave River and being instrumental in establishing a law to remove derelict vessels from waterways across the country.
But most of all, it’s the constituency work that Jordan will remember most.
“The individual people who have come into our office for help, who have had problems navigating the government system or who have challenges and we’ve been able to help them with whatever they’re dealing with. Often times, people forget that’s one of the main jobs of an MP is to help their constituents,” said Jordan.
Perkins plans to make constituent concerns the focus of his mandate.
To that end he will set up his primary office in Bridgewater and open another office in Shelburne to ensure people can access their MP.
Perkins says he’s keen to get going and won’t take for granted the faith placed in him by the people of South Shore-St.Margaret’s.
“It’s overwhelming and humbling at the same time. As many of your listeners would know, I was the candidate in 2019 and the result was a little different than this one,” said Perkins. “It was exciting to see the results [Monday] night and now the work begins.”
Conservative Rick Perkins is the new MP for South-Shore St.Margaret’s. Photo Ed Halverson
Canadians have re-elected a Liberal minority government but South Shore-St.Margaret’s will have new representation in Ottawa.
With 269 of 270 polls reporting, Conservative Rick Perkins has defeated incumbent Liberal Bernadette Jordan by almost 2,000 votes.
Slightly more than 60 percent of eligible electors in South Shore-St.Margaret’s cast a ballot which is just above the national turnout of 58 percent.
The results of Monday’s election are a reversal of fortunes for Perkins who lost by 7,000 votes to Jordan in the 2019 election.
Since 2019, Jordan has been Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard.
She was the only federal minister in Atlantic Canada, in a role closely tied to the economy of the region.
During the campaign, opponents called on Jordan to defend her record after a decades-long dispute regarding First Nations fishing rights boiled over in the riding last year.
The Liberals are leading or elected in 158 of 338 ridings across the country with 98 percent of polls reporting.
If the numbers hold, the election has meant little change in the House of Commons.
The Liberals will add three seats for a total of 158, the Conservatives stay steady at 119, the NDP gained one to hold 25 seats, the Bloc Québécois saw a two and the Green Party held fast at two seats.
Candidates (L-R) Rick Perkins, Bernadette Jordan, Thomas Trappenberg, Olivia Dorey. Photo Ed Halverson
The four candidates vying to represent South Shore-St.Margaret’s met Tuesday for what will likely be the only debate this campaign.
The event, organized by the Bridgewater Chamber of Commerce, was hosted at the Best Western in Cookville.
Candidates Olivia Dorey with the NDP, Liberal Bernadette Jordan, Conservative Rick Perkins and the Green party’s Thomas Trappenberg took turns answering five questions provided to them in advance by the chamber.
Questions focused on the housing crisis, healthcare, the environment, infrastructure and support for small and medium-sized businesses.
All candidates see a role for the federal government in increasing housing stock, providing more funding to provinces to address healthcare shortfalls, protecting the province’s coastline from sea-level rise and ensuring smaller businesses survive and thrive through the pandemic.
Naturally, how those aims are achieved vary widely along party lines.
The evening was a relatively tame affair punctuated by jabs between the PCs Perkins and Liberal Jordan.
Perkins took aim at Jordan and the Trudeau government’s record while Jordan poked holes in the Conservative platform.
The Greens’ Trappenberg took all parties to task and called for government to look for new ways of solving problems while the NDP’s Dorey highlighted the fact that at 27 years old, she was a generation younger than the other candidates and would be feeling the brunt of the decisions made by whomever is elected for much longer.
After the candidates were through the pre-arranged questions the moderator opened the floor to the public.
When asked when Canadians could expect to see a return to balanced budgets Perkins says the Conservatives have a plan to do so in ten years. Jordan said the priority for the country is getting through the COVID recovery not balancing the books. Trappenberg said now is the time to invest and Dorey cautioned people to temper their expectations, as there is no way to balance the books in the next ten years.
All candidates agreed more supports should be extended to veterans, especially those dealing with PTSD. They also agreed conversion therapy should be banned, more should be done to prevent gender-based violence and increasing immigration needs to be a priority to fill vacant jobs and grow the population.
The candidates reinforced their talking points in their closing arguments. Jordan stepped off-script to comment on the level of anger on display in this election, citing the rock throwing incidents and verbal assaults being lobbied at Justin Trudeau. She says she and her campaign workers have had similar experiences campaigning in this riding.
This was the only time all four candidates were scheduled to engage in a public forum together prior to the election.
