Nova Scotia election also represents a win for diversity
A number of successful candidates from a wide array of backgrounds will represent Nova Scotians in Province House.
Ali Duale spent his Wednesday removing campaign signs in his Halifax-area riding after a busy night of celebration.
The Liberal MLA-elect for Halifax Armdale says he is humbled to accept this position and serve the people of Nova Scotia.
"It's the beauty of democracy," he says. "People have a choice and those who make their choice, I applaud them and I thank them."
Duale is the province's first Muslim MLA. He is also one of four black MLAs elected to Province House on Tuesday night.
He and his wife fled Somalia in the 1990s during the civil war, but it wasn't long before he became a leader in his community.
"This land, offered me a place to refuge," he explains. "Not only that, it allowed me to succeed and to be where I am today, and I'm grateful for that."
NDP MLA-elect Suzy Hansen also spent Wednesday packing up her campaign office.
Born and raised in Halifax's North End, she is excited for change and a future of diversity in politics around here.
"It's huge. First and foremost, there's only been five African Nova Scotians actually sitting in legislature for the whole time, and not at one time," she explains. "So there's only been five, this time we'll actually have four in one sitting in the legislature for the term, so I think that's amazing."
The province's premier-designate says he is focused on encouraging more minorities to get involved in politics.
"It's my intention to continue to make sure that every Nova Scotian sees themselves in our government," Tim Houston said. "And in the structure of the PC Party, and we'll continue to work on that."
Meanwhile, former Nova Scotia MLA Joanne Bernard says while the House of Assembly is more diverse than ever, we still have a long way to go.
"It's important that those experiences, those diversities be at tables of power," she says. "And so when cabinet comes around, I have trust in Mr. Houston, that he will appoint women within his cabinet."
Both Hansen and Duale say one of the reasons why they ran in this political election was to inspire the next generation of candidates.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
More than 115 cases of eye damage reported in Ontario after solar eclipse
More than 115 people who viewed the solar eclipse in Ontario earlier this month experienced eye damage after the event, according to eye doctors in the province.
Toxic testing standoff: Family leaves house over air quality
A Sherwood Park family says their new house is uninhabitable. The McNaughton's say they were forced to leave the house after living there for only a week because contaminants inside made it difficult to breathe.
Decoy bear used to catch man who illegally killed a grizzly, B.C. conservation officers say
A man has been handed a lengthy hunting ban and fined thousands of dollars for illegally killing a grizzly bear, B.C. conservation officers say.
B.C. seeks ban on public drug use, dialing back decriminalization
The B.C. NDP has asked the federal government to recriminalize public drug use, marking a major shift in the province's approach to addressing the deadly overdose crisis.
OPP responds to apparent video of officer supporting anti-Trudeau government protestors
The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) says it's investigating an interaction between a uniformed officer and anti-Trudeau government protestors after a video circulated on social media.
An emergency slide falls off a Delta Air Lines plane, forcing pilots to return to JFK in New York
An emergency slide fell off a Delta Air Lines jetliner shortly after takeoff Friday from New York, and pilots who felt a vibration in the plane circled back to land safely at JFK Airport.
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau on navigating post-political life, co-parenting and freedom
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
Last letters of pioneering climber who died on Everest reveal dark side of mountaineering
George Mallory is renowned for being one of the first British mountaineers to attempt to scale the dizzying heights of Mount Everest during the 1920s. Nearly a century later, newly digitized letters shed light on Mallory’s hopes and fears about ascending Everest.
Loud boom in Hamilton caused by propane tank, police say
A loud explosion was heard across Hamilton on Friday after a propane tank was accidentally destroyed and detonated at a local scrap metal yard, police say.