provincial election

Three in a row: Masland re-elected Queens MLA, as part of PC majority in Nova Scotia

November 28, 2024 by Rick Conrad

It’s a threepeat for Kim Masland, who will once again represent the riding of Queens in the Nova Scotia legislature.

The Liverpool resident easily won re-election on Tuesday night. It’s her third win in a row. The Progressive Conservatives under leader Tim Houston won their second majority government with 43 seats. Masland told QCCR on Tuesday night that she doesn’t take any election for granted.

Masland says she knocked on more than 6,000 doors during the campaign. She garnered 79.93 per cent of the vote. Turnout in the riding was 46.91 per cent. Liberal Cathy De Rome of Beach Meadows was in second, while the NDP’s Brian Skabar was in third.

a woman with long blonde hair seated in a coffee shop, with an open fire in the background to the left side, set in a wall of exposed brick.

Byelection candidate Jennifer Thompson talks about her vision for Saint John

November 26, 2024 by Iona Coe

David Hickey’s win in the Saint John Harbour riding in last month’s provincial election resulted in his seat on the city council becoming vacant. With a byelection soon to be contested to fill the seat and the deadline for nominations now passed, a total of eleven people are running for the Ward 3 councillor position, including Jennifer Thompson.

Local 107.3FM spoke with Thompson in a busy Uptown coffee shop about her reasons for standing in the by-election and what she hopes to bring to the role.

The by-election is set to take place on December 9th and advance polling is now open. Local 107.3 FM has reached out to all eleven candidates for interviews. Information about all the candidates can be found via electionsNB.ca.

Andrew Miller seated with a chair to his right and windows behind him, set into a wall of bare brick and wood panelling.

City Council Ward 3 byelection candidate Andrew Miller on his desire to build on his work behind the scenes

November 26, 2024 by Iona Coe

Following David Hickey’s win in the Saint John Harbour riding in the provincial election last month, his seat on the city council has been left vacant, and a byelection will soon be contested to fill the seat. The deadline has now passed for nominations, with a total of eleven people running for the Ward 3 councillor position, including Andrew Miller.

Local 107.3FM spoke with Miller about his reasons for standing in the by-election and what he hopes to bring to the role.

The by-election is set to take place on December 9th, and Local 107.3 FM has reached out to all eleven candidates for interviews. Information about all the candidates can be found via electionsNB.ca.

A yellow sign reading 'Elections Nova Scotia'

Nova Scotia voters head to polls Tuesday as early turnout numbers are down

November 26, 2024 by Rick Conrad

Election Day is Tuesday in Nova Scotia, with polls open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

But many Nova Scotians have already voted, though early numbers are down from the 2021 election.

According to Elections Nova Scotia, 147,183 people have voted in early, advance and community polls at returning offices around the province. That also includes write-in ballots.

At the same point in the 2021 provincial election, 166,403 votes had been cast early.

Election officials did not mail out individual voter information cards this year because of the impending Canada Post strike.

Three people are running in the riding of Queens. Incumbent PC MLA Kim Masland is trying to win her third election in a row. She’s being challenged by Liberal Cathy De Rome and New Democrat Brian Skabar.

NS NDP leader promises affordable housing on final Cape Breton campaign stop

November 25, 2024 by Bill MacCuish

Provincial NDP Leader Claudia Chender’s last provincial election campaign stop in Cape Breton focused on affordable housing. Chender says people struggling with soaring housing costs will save money with a rebate if she becomes premier. She says that with her proposal, households with incomes earning less than $70,000 per year will save an average of $900 per year on their rent or mortgage. Chender also promised to build 30, 0000 affordable homes across Nova Scotia and ban fixed term leases.

CKOA Radio spoke to Chender about her plans as premier if her party win’s Tuesday’s election. You can also hear CKOA talk to the PC leader, and Liberal leader.

Candidates in Queens try to unseat popular incumbent in Nova Scotia election

November 22, 2024 by Rick Conrad

As Nova Scotia voters head to the polls in Tuesday’s provincial election, the two people hoping to unseat popular MLA Kim Masland in Queens admit it’s an uphill battle, but they say they’ve been hearing good things from voters.

Cathy De Rome is running for the Liberals and Brian Skabar is trying to take the seat back for the NDP.

Masland is trying for a repeat in a riding she captured in 2021 for the Progressive Conservatives with 70 per cent of the vote. Before that, the riding was Queens-Shelburne, which Masland won in 2017 with almost 44 per cent of the vote.

De Rome and Skabar say that they know it’s going to be tough to defeat Masland. But they say it’s important to run.

Nova Scotia PC leader looks for second term as premier

November 21, 2024 by Bill MacCuish

Tim Houston hopes voters send him back to Halifax as premier on election night November 26th.

The PC leader says he called a snap election because priorities have changed since his party won the previous election in 2021 based on his healthcare platform.

Houston says the focus has shifted to “affordability” and Nova Scotians should decide who runs the province. He says a school lunch program, a senior’s care grant and a one per cent HST cut can make life more affordable.

Meanwhile, the Tories faced controversy last week with a PC campaign manager resigning after admitting to handing out gift cards to customers at a Luneburg Tim Hortons while promoting the riding’s candidate. Houston says he’s not too concerned because many candidates provide refreshments while campaigning without criticism.

CKOA Radio spoke to Houston about the upcoming election.

The NDP’s Claudia Chender has agreed to an interview in the coming days.

UPDATE:

Hear CKOA speak to the provincial NDP leader, and Liberal Leader.

Provincial Liberal leader promises more decision-making powers for Cape Breton Regional Municipality

November 18, 2024 by Bill MacCuish

Nova Scotia Liberal leader Zach Churchill says the CBRM will have autonomy when dealing with provincial-municipal affairs if his party wins the November 26th provincial election.

He says a “charter” will enable the municipality to bypass red tape on projects requiring provincial consent.

Churchill’s also promising an HST cut resulting in savings of $3, 000 for every taxpayer.

He says it’s achievable by running three consecutive deficits before capping a four year term with a balanced budget.

A recent survey puts the Liberals second to the Tories in Cape Breton voter support. Churchill says there is still time to gain more approval on the campaign trail and the Tories are unintentionally helping the Grits.

He refers to the recent resignation of a PC campaign manager who was handing out gift cards at a Lunenburg Tim Hortons while promoting a candidate.

Churchill visited CKOA Radio to talk about the upcoming provincial election which will be held on November 26, 2024.

UPDATE:

Hear CKOA talk to the provincial PC leader and NDP leader.

Mariah Darling seated in a coffee shop, with a bare brick wall behind them

City Council Ward 3 byelection candidate Mariah Darling outlines their priorities

November 12, 2024 by Iona Coe

David Hickey’s success in the provincial election last month, winning the Saint John Harbour riding, means that his seat on the city council has become vacant. A number of candidates have already put their names forward for the Ward 3 councillor position, including Mariah Darling.

Local 107.3FM spoke with Darling in an Uptown coffee shop about their reasons for standing in the by-election and what they hope to bring to the role.

You can reach Mariah Darling through their website, mariahdarling.com.

Local 107.3FM will be reaching out to all the other candidates over the coming days and weeks, in the runup to the by-election, set to take place on December 9th. Information about all the candidates can be found via electionsNB.ca.

A man wearing a suit sits in front of a bank of Nova Scotia flags.

Province’s PC deputy premier, finance minister stepping down for federal run

November 1, 2024 by Bill MacCuish

Allan MacMaster says it’s time for a new political chapter.

MacMaster has resigned as the province’s PC deputy premier and finance minster to run for the Conservatives in next year’s federal election.

He made the announcement four days before Premier Tim Houston called for a snap election on November 26. He won’t say when the decision was made other than it was “very recent.”

MacMaster represented the provincial riding of Inverness in western Cape Breton for 15 years and became finance minister and deputy premier when the PC party won the provincial election in 2021.

MacMaster is uncontested so far as Conservative candidate for the riding and will remain as Inverness MLA until his term ends next month.

CKOA Radio spoke with MacMaster about his political plans.

A man in a blue crew neck tshirt stands outside in a park in front of a gazebo.

Sitting down with PC candidate for Tantramar Bruce Phinney

October 16, 2024 by Erica Butler

Progressive Conservative candidate for Tantramar Bruce Phinney says he’s playing catch up after joining the provincial election race at the eleventh hour.

Phinney stopped by CHMA to talk about his campaign and PC party promises so far this election season.

“I finally got recognized as a candidate later than everybody else,” says Phinney. “It’s one of the stumbling blocks I had to deal with, and I’m dealing with it the best way I can.”

Phinney says that his door-to-door canvassing will be limited to some stops in Cape Tormentine and in his downtown Sackville ward where he was elected to Tantramar municipal council in 2022. “I’m not going to get around to everybody,” he says, “there’s no way realistically, but I will continue to run into people, ask for their vote.”

A group of young adults sitting on a flight of stairs outside. Their hands are in the air and they are holding clipboards. There is a bridge in the background, and also some trees and a river. You can see the sky above the bridge.

‘New Majority’ encourages youth to take their power back by showing up to vote

October 15, 2024 by Jai Sadler

“We grow up hearing that ‘youth are the future, youth are the future’. Well, we’re the future now” says Janie Moyen, Bilingual National Organizer for New Majority, when asked why it’s important for the younger generation to get out and vote.

On October 21st, New Brunswickers will return to the polls to elect a new Provincial Government. New Majority, a non-partisan and non-profit organization, aims to increase voter turnout among young, first-time voters.

Janie Moyen explains the organization’s approach and purpose and goes into further detail about why and how to vote.