A 'return to normal' for Nova Scotia after federal vote
Nova Scotians are digesting the results of a federal election that didn't change much for the country.
"The government did not deserve a majority and the other parties had some shortcomings," says voter John Dalziel.
For resident Dawn Belliveau, the result didn't seem worth the effort.
"It seemed that it was very rushed," she says, "it seemed that is was unnecessary."
Necessary or not, the results at the polls mean the Liberals lost two seats in the province – including one held by a prominent member of federal cabinet.
The riding of Cumberland-Colchester County returned to its traditional Tory roots, with Liberal incumbent Lenore Zann defeated by family doctor Stephen Ellis.
Healthcare had been a key issue in the provincial election, and Dr. Ellis said at his campaign event election night that he heard those concerns during his campaign.
"People are tired of not having a family physician and we know that primary care backs up our emergency rooms and backs up our ambulance service as well," he says.
But political science professor Tom Bickerton doesn't think the Conservative's platform on healthcare was the deciding factor.
Bickerton says the Conservative win in Cumberland-Colchester was likely more about appealing to the area's well-established Tory base.
"This time out, they had a leader who's more centrist," says Bickerton, "it made those traditionally progressive voters more comfortable voting CPC."
The other riding that went blue is South Shore-St.Margaret's, which had been held by Bernadette Jordan.
Bickerton believes her handling as federal fisheries minister of the ongoing conflict over the Mi'kmaw treaty fishery likely contributed to her defeat by CPC candidate Rick Perkins.
The chief of Sipekne'katik First Nation, Chief Mike Sack, has often been at odds with Jordan and the department over just how much control Ottawa and the DFO should have over indigenous fishing activities.
While Chief Sack says he doesn't like to see Jordan lose her job, he is looking forward to a new fisheries minister.
"Hoping that it's somebody from like central Canada," he says, "who has an unbiased opinion and can work with us."
In Halifax, the federal NDP had high hopes in its candidate, former provincial NDP MLA Lisa Roberts.
But in what was a tight race that ran into the early morning hours of Tuesday, Roberts had to concede to re-elected Liberal MP Andy Fillmore.
Fillmore says the work of the still-minority Liberal government will now continue.
"We're not through with this pandemic yet," Fillmore told CTV News from his election headquarters Monday night, "and we're not done getting big ticket items across the threshold like ten dollar a day daycare."
In the Cape Breton riding of Sydney-Victoria - the province's only indigenous MP retained his seat as well.
Jaime Battiste beat out Conservative Eddie Orrell by 1,124 votes.
While the PPC candidate brought in more than that, at 1,173 votes, Orrell doesn't think a split vote on the right was a factor.
"I don't know what happened," says Orrell by phone while taking down his election signs in New Waterford after he says he and his team knocked on more than 20,000 doors on the campaign trail.
"The PPC vote I don't think was an influence in this campaign, I didn't hear that on the doors. I didn't hear that was going to be a factor in my campaign."
With eight Liberals and three Conservatives heading to Ottawa on behalf of Nova Scotia, Bickerton says the province is "into a more 'normal' distribution of political power" – which he says is a good thing, when it comes to representing the views and values of voters.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Young people 'tortured' if stolen vehicle operations fail, Montreal police tell MPs
One day after a Montreal police officer fired gunshots at a suspect in a stolen vehicle, senior officers were telling parliamentarians that organized crime groups are recruiting people as young as 15 in the city to steal cars so that they can be shipped overseas.
Man sets self on fire outside New York court where Trump trial underway
A man set himself on fire on Friday outside the New York courthouse where Donald Trump's historic hush-money trial was taking place as jury selection wrapped up, but officials said he did not appear to have been targeting Trump.
Sask. father found guilty of withholding daughter to prevent her from getting COVID-19 vaccine
Michael Gordon Jackson, a Saskatchewan man accused of abducting his daughter to prevent her from getting a COVID-19 vaccine, has been found guilty for contravention of a custody order.
Mandisa, Grammy award-winning 'American Idol' alum, dead at 47
Soulful gospel artist Mandisa, a Grammy-winning singer who got her start as a contestant on 'American Idol' in 2006, has died, according to a statement on her verified social media. She was 47.
She set out to find a husband in a year. Then she matched with a guy on a dating app on the other side of the world
Scottish comedian Samantha Hannah was working on a comedy show about finding a husband when Toby Hunter came into her life. What happened next surprised them both.
'It was joy': Trapped B.C. orca calf eats seal meat, putting rescue on hold
A rescue operation for an orca calf trapped in a remote tidal lagoon off Vancouver Island has been put on hold after it started eating seal meat thrown in the water for what is believed to be the first time.
B.C. judge orders shared dog custody for exes who both 'clearly love Stella'
In a first-of-its-kind ruling, a B.C. judge has awarded a former couple joint custody of their dog.
Shivering for health: The myths and truths of ice baths explained
In a climate of social media-endorsed wellness rituals, plunging into cold water has promised to aid muscle recovery, enhance mental health and support immune system function. But the evidence of such benefits sits on thin ice, according to researchers.
'It could be catastrophic': Woman says natural supplement contained hidden painkiller drug
A Manitoba woman thought she found a miracle natural supplement, but said a hidden ingredient wreaked havoc on her health.