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
Demand soars for solar eclipse glasses in Canada. Are they worth buying?
The demand for total solar eclipse glasses used to safely view the rare celestial event has been ramping up as sellers, along with astronomy and eye-care experts in Canada, warn that viewing the eclipse with the naked eye is dangerous.
'You ask for your money, they disappear': Ontario man loses $17K to AI crypto scam
A Toronto man is spreading the word of a cryptocurrency scam that lures victims using AI-generated news sites after he lost $17,000 in investments.
Hertz CEO out following electric car 'horror show'
The company, which announced in January it was selling 20,000 of the electric vehicles in its fleet, or about a third of the EVs it owned, is now replacing the CEO who helped build up that fleet, giving it the company’s fifth boss in just four years.
High thoughts: The habits of Canadian cannabis users are revealed in a new StatCan report
Statistics Canada has conducted a series of surveys to measure the impacts of legalized cannabis since the Cannabis Act took effect in 2018. The latest one, the 2023 National Cannabis Survey, sheds light on users' preferences and habits last year.
Trump says Jews who vote for Democrats 'hate Israel' and their religion
Former U.S. president Donald Trump on Monday charged that Jews who vote for Democrats 'hate Israel' and hate 'their religion,' igniting a firestorm of criticism from the White House and Jewish leaders.
Toronto family doctor who called patient's body 'perfect' suspended for 3 months: tribunal
A family doctor in Toronto has been suspended for three months after a disciplinary tribunal found that he failed to follow proper protocols while examining a patient's breasts and made inappropriate comments about her body.
Freddie Mercury's home is on the market for first time since 1980 minus his 'exquisite clutter'
Freddie Mercury's sanctuary in London, where he lived the last decade of his life, is on sale for the first time in nearly half a century -- minus his "exquisite clutter."
'The lost season': Winter comes to a close as Canada's warmest on record
The warmest winter on record could have far-reaching effects on everything from wildfire season to erosion, climatologists say, while offering a preview of what the season could resemble in the not-so-distant future unless steps are taken to cut greenhouse gas emissions.
Retired teacher pleads guilty to paying for sex with 15-year-old in Collingwood, Ont.
In a Barrie courtroom on Monday, a retired high school teacher from the Niagara Region pleaded guilty to sexual touching and obtaining sexual services from a 15-year-old boy in Collingwood in 2021.