HEAD OF CHEZZETCOOK — Re-elected to serve the Eastern Shore, Progressive Conservative Eastern Shore MLA Kent Smith told The Journal in an email that he was “incredibly thankful” for the support he received on election night; 4,600 of the 7,569 – 61.6 per cent – of the votes.
“The Eastern Shore has an extremely bright future, and I am excited for another opportunity to be a catalyst of continuous improvement,” he said.
Liberal candidate Doyle Safire, after congratulating Smith, told The Journal via email, “Putting your name forward in any election is a true act of service,” adding it demands time, courage and sacrifice.
He thanked his volunteers, supporters and family, who he said stood by him throughout his journey. Safire added that, when he first embarked on his campaign, he carried some apprehension about the tone of political discourse he might encounter.
“But, as I travelled across this beautiful riding, I met so many engaged and thoughtful individuals willing to share their perspectives and hopes for the future,” he continued, adding it was an experience that re-affirmed his faith in the power of connection and dialogue.
As for the timing of the election call, Safire said he believes that Premier Tim Houston “seized an opportunity” to do so when circumstances benefitted his party.
“The irony is that this is contrary to the reasons he argued for a fixed election date,” he added, suggesting that “the record low number of voters does not equate to a stronger mandate.”
As for the provincial Liberal party, he offered, “Looking forward, we must learn from this experience, re-engage with Nova Scotians and start to plan for the next election.”
Even though the results were disappointing, Safire believes his Liberal party offered Nova Scotians “a comprehensive platform that presented real solutions to the issues facing the province.”
Describing it as “an incredible journey,” Safire said, “I’m grateful for every conversation, every handshake and every shared moment. Thank you for making this such a meaningful experience.”
In an email to The Journal, Green Party candidate Kevin Conrod thanked the people of Eastern Shore and Nova Scotians, including everyone who supported his bid for office in the constituency.
“That is quite the blue wave,” he said of the PCs’ supermajority victory, offering that there is a lot of speculation as to the reasons for it. “But, here we are, and we will live with the results.”
Conrod added, “In defeat, you learn and become stronger from the experience.”
Although somewhat disappointing for supporters, he suggested that the results will re-energize the people who champion the green movement and Green Party.
“We will continue to work and move forward for the people,” said Conrod.
Safire, who finished second, received 1,441 votes (19.3 per cent), followed by the NDP’s Don Carney (1,231, 16.5 per cent) – who did not reply to The Journal’s request for comment by press time – and Conrod (197, 2.6 per cent).
