Claudia Chender sole candidate running as leader of Nova Scotia's NDP
Claudia Chender is the unopposed candidate running to be the next leader of Nova Scotia's New Democratic Party.
Chender, a lawyer who was first elected in 2017 and now represents the riding of Dartmouth South, said in an interview she's humbled by the "overwhelming" support from her party.
The deadline to enter the leadership race passed Saturday afternoon with Chender as the sole registered candidate.
"I feel really honoured to be close to taking on this role," she said, but added her campaign is not over.
While she is the only candidate, Chender cannot be confirmed as leader until a vote at the party convention. Online voting will get underway on June 20 and wrap up at the convention on June 25.
Until then, Chender said she will continue to travel the province and speak to as many members as possible.
"My primary job is to earn the trust that people have placed in me," she said.
Her conversations with party members across the province have exposed some common themes, she said.
"Our health care system continues to deteriorate, and I think it's getting to the point where it's really scary for a lot of people," she said.
"We're also, of course, hearing about the rapid rise of the cost of living: Everything from gas to groceries to power."
Chender said health care access, cost of living, and tackling climate change will remain top priorities for the party.
The NDP's current leader Gary Burrill announced in November he would be stepping back from the leadership role he's held since 2016.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 21, 2022.
---
This story was produced with the financial assistance of the Meta and Canadian Press News Fellowship.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Amid concerns over 'collateral damage' Trudeau, Freeland defend capital gains tax change
Facing pushback from physicians and businesspeople over the coming increase to the capital gains inclusion rate, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his deputy Chrystia Freeland are standing by their plan to target Canada's highest earners.
Widow looking for answers after Quebec man dies in Texas Ironman competition
The widow of a Quebec man who died competing in an Ironman competition is looking for answers.
Tom Mulcair: Park littered with trash after 'pilot project' is perfect symbol of Trudeau governance
Former NDP leader Tom Mulcair says that what's happening now in a trash-littered federal park in Quebec is a perfect metaphor for how the Trudeau government runs things.
Fewer medical students going into family medicine contributing to doctor shortage
As some family doctors are retiring and others are moving away from family medicine, there are fewer medical students to take their place.
'It's discriminatory': Individuals refused entry to Ontario legislature for wearing keffiyeh
Individuals being barred from entering Ontario’s legislature while wearing a keffiyeh say the garment is part of their cultural identity— and the only ones making it political are the politicians banning it.
Bodies found by U.S. authorities searching for missing B.C. kayakers
United States authorities who have been searching for a pair of missing kayakers from British Columbia since the weekend have recovered two bodies in the nearby San Juan Islands of Washington state.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.
Photographer alleges he was forced to watch Megan Thee Stallion have sex and was unfairly fired
A photographer who worked for Megan Thee Stallion said in a lawsuit filed Tuesday that he was forced to watch her have sex, was unfairly fired soon after and was abused as her employee.
Competition bureau finds 'substantial' anti-competitive effects with proposed Bunge-Viterra merger
The proposed merger of agricultural giants Viterra and Bunge is raising competition concerns from the federal government.