Battle for Preston: Three African Nova Scotians on the ballot to represent newly created riding
On Sunday, Canada marked its first Emancipation Day - a day to recognize the end of slavery in the country nearly two centuries ago.
People in the Preston area of Halifax gathered to reflect on their history and talk about their future, as once again, three African Nova Scotians are running to represent them in the upcoming election.
"It is good that we’re now able to recognize that slavery did exist. In Nova Scotia, in Canada," said Archy Beals, PC candidate.
"The reason why it ended, and it’s not because someone decided they were going to give us a break and it was wrong at the time, it was more they had to, they saw the resiliency," said Colter Simmonds, who is running for the NDP.
"It’s really not a celebration, it’s about acknowledging and for people to really reckon with the idea at some point Black people were inhumane and treated as property," said Liberal candidate Angela Simmonds.
As history was top of mind, so too was their future.
In the upcoming election, the riding of Preston has a full slate of black candidates.
Yvonne Atwell was the last African Nova Scotian to represent the area in 1999.
The riding was one of four added to the map this year to increase representation for Acadian and Black Nova Scotians
NDP's Colter Simmonds is a community advocate, basketball coach and helps people find employment.
"I’m not a politician. I’m a community leader. I’ve lived it, I do it, and that’s what the community needs," said Colter Simmonds.
Angela Simmonds is a lawyer who previously worked in education. She said she wants to lead with community.
"One thing about me is I don’t like using my voice, and so we know this and so I always say we can use that for the betterment of folks that feel they have not been included or have that voice," said Angela Simmonds.
PC candidate Beals works at the Nova Scotia Community College as a student services advisor. He was the former African Nova Scotian representative on the school board.
"What our community needs is infrastructure, education for our young people so they can get gainful employment. Looking at the land clarification issue because there’s still lots of people in the community that don’t have clear title to their land," said Beals.
Since there’s no incumbent, political analyst Lori Turnbull thinks it’s anyone’s race.
"There’s nobody who has a leg up type of thing. It’s truly an open riding," said Turnbull.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Quebec nurse had to clean up after husband's death in Montreal hospital
On a night she should have been mourning, a nurse from Quebec's Laurentians region says she was forced to clean up her husband after he died at a hospital in Montreal.
Northern Ont. lawyer who abandoned clients in child protection cases disbarred
A North Bay, Ont., lawyer who abandoned 15 clients – many of them child protection cases – has lost his licence to practise law.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
Maple Leafs fall to Bruins in Game 3, trail series 2-1
Brad Marchand scored twice, including the winner in the third period, and added an assist as the Boston Bruins downed the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-2 to take a 2-1 lead in their first-round playoff series Wednesday
Cuban government apologizes to Montreal-area family after delivering wrong body
Cuba's foreign affairs minister has apologized to a Montreal-area family after they were sent the wrong body following the death of a loved one.
'It was instant karma': Viral video captures failed theft attempt in Nanaimo, B.C.
Mounties in Nanaimo, B.C., say two late-night revellers are lucky their allegedly drunken antics weren't reported to police after security cameras captured the men trying to steal a heavy sign from a downtown business.
What is changing about Canada's capital gains tax and how does it impact me?
The federal government's proposed change to capital gains taxation is expected to increase taxes on investments and mainly affect wealthy Canadians and businesses. Here's what you need to know about the move.
New Indigenous loan guarantee program a 'really big deal,' Freeland says at Toronto conference
Canada's Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland was among the 1,700 delegates attending the two-day First Nations Major Projects Coalition (FNMPC) conference that concluded Tuesday in Toronto.
'Life was not fair to him': Daughter of N.B. man exonerated of murder remembers him as a kind soul
The daughter of a New Brunswick man recently exonerated from murder, is remembering her father as somebody who, despite a wrongful conviction, never became bitter or angry.