Nova Scotia election kicks off, NDP releases political 'vision document'
Nova Scotia NDP Leader Gary Burrill took to the podium to launch the party's 10-year plan for the province that would include permanent rent control and paid sick days, as the province entered the second day of the election campaign.
Burrill released the so-called "vision document" outlining the party's plan for Nova Scotia in the event of a New Democrat victory during the event Sunday.
A traditional platform will be released in the coming days, he said. The NDP is the first party to release such a document, however, since the province's 41st general election began Saturday.
"People say, 'The trouble is that politics just moves in a four-year cycle and nobody ever looks really forward,' " he said. "The path is something better by addressing the real needs of real people in their real lives, particularly as these needs have come front and centre" over the last 18 months, he said.
Though the party has yet to release any dollar amounts associated with its plan, Burrill did break down the costs of improving access to mental health care in the province. The NDP's vision document includes a plan to provide same-day and next-day mental health care and Burrill said the project should cost $5.4 million a year in capital with operating costs of $4 million annually.
The upcoming election marks only the third time an August general election has been called in Nova Scotia since it joined the Canadian Confederation in 1867.
Liberal Leader Iain Rankin dissolved the government Saturday after weeks of speculation about a summer election.
Rankin, Burrill and Progressive Conservative Leader Tim Houston all hit the pavement to canvas Sunday.
In 2017, then-Liberal leader and premier Stephen McNeil won a narrow majority government with 27 seats, while the Conservatives won 17 seats and the NDP snagged seven seats in the House of Assembly.
Rankin took over the role of premier in February, just before the province entered the third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.
At dissolution Saturday, the Liberals had a minority government and held 24 of the 51 seats, followed by the Progressive Conservatives led by Houston with 17 and the New Democrats under Burrill with five. There were three Independents and two vacancies.
The campaign will feature races in 55 ridings because the province decided last year to revive four "protected" seats in districts where the government wants to increase the participation and representation of Acadians and African-Nova Scotians.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 18, 2021.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'They needed people inside Air Canada:' Police announce arrests in Pearson gold heist
Police say one former and one current employee of Air Canada are among the nine suspects that are facing charges in connection with the gold heist at Pearson International Airport last year.
House admonishes ArriveCan contractor in rare parliamentary show of power
MPs enacted an extraordinary, rarely used parliamentary power on Wednesday, summonsing an ArriveCan contractor to appear before the House of Commons where he was admonished publicly and forced to provide answers to the questions MPs said he'd previously evaded.
Leafs star Auston Matthews finishes season with 69 goals
Auston Matthews won't be joining the NHL's 70-goal club this season.
Trump lawyers say Stormy Daniels refused subpoena outside a Brooklyn bar, papers left 'at her feet'
Donald Trump's legal team says it tried serving Stormy Daniels a subpoena as she arrived for an event at a bar in Brooklyn last month, but the porn actor, who is expected to be a witness at the former president's criminal trial, refused to take it and walked away.
Why drivers in Eastern Canada could see big gas price spikes, and other Canadians won't
Drivers in Eastern Canada face a big increase in gas prices because of various factors, especially the higher cost of the summer blend, industry analysts say.
Doug Ford calls on Ontario Speaker to reverse Queen's Park keffiyeh ban
Ontario Premier Doug Ford is calling on Speaker Ted Arnott to reverse a ban on keffiyehs at Queen's Park, describing the move as “needlessly” divisive.
'A living nightmare': Winnipeg woman sentenced following campaign of harassment against man after online date
A Winnipeg woman was sentenced to house arrest after a single date with a man she met online culminated in her harassing him for years, and spurred false allegations which resulted in the innocent man being arrested three times.
Woman who pressured boyfriend to kill his ex in 2000s granted absences from prison
A woman who pressured her boyfriend into killing his teenage ex more than a decade ago will be allowed to leave prison for weeks at a time.
Customers disappointed after email listing $60K Tim Hortons prize sent in error
Several Tim Horton’s customers are feeling great disappointment after being told by the company that an email stating they won a boat worth nearly $60,000 was sent in error.