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
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.
'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.
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.
'It's just so hard to let it go': Umar Zameer filled with relief and grief following acquittal in death of Toronto police officer
'We hoped for this day, but we were scared that it would not never ever come because it took so long.' That’s what Umar Zameer, the man recently acquitted in the death of a Toronto police officer, told CTV News Toronto in a sit-down interview on Tuesday.
Senate expenses climbed to $7.2 million in 2023, up nearly 30%
Senators in Canada claimed $7.2 million in expenses in 2023, a nearly 30 per cent increase over the previous year.
Pedestrian, baby injured after stroller struck and dragged by vehicle in Squamish, B.C.
Police say a baby and a pedestrian suffered non-life-threatening injuries after a vehicle struck a baby stroller and dragged it for two blocks before stopping in Squamish, B.C.
Canucks goalie Thatcher Demko won't play in Game 2
The Vancouver Canucks will be without all-star goalie Thatcher Demko when they face the Nashville Predators in Game 2 of their first-round playoff series.
North Bay doctor accused of assaulting patient, threatening another
A North Bay doctor is facing charges after allegedly assaulting a patient with a weapon and threatening another person at the hospital, police say.
Man wanted in connection with deadly shooting in Toronto tops list of most wanted fugitives in Canada
A 35-year-old man wanted in connection with the murder of Toronto resident 29-year-old Sharmar Powell-Flowers nine months ago has topped the list of the BOLO program’s 25 most wanted fugitives across Canada, police announced Tuesday.