Calling a snap election is an option for a sitting government. Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston, who has been in power since 2021, has used that option. The upcoming election will be on November 26. The election was scheduled for July 15, 2025.
Tim Houston's Progressive Conservatives won 31 seats in the 2021 election and currently have 34 seats in the 55-seat legislature in Halifax. Zach Churchill is the opposition leader with the Liberals, winning 17 seats in 2021 and holding 14 seats. Claudia Chender is the New Democratic Party leader, winning 6 seats in 2021, the same number the party currently holds.
There is a single independent MLA.
Churchill and Chender are in their first campaign as party leaders. Both came into power in the summer of 2022. Houston has been his party leader since October 27, 2018 and only served this past government as premier.
Nova Scotia is rather rare in that all 3 major parties have recently been in charge of the government. The Liberals were in power from 2013-2021 and the NDP was in charge from 2009-2013.
Churchill has an extra challenge with 2 candidates leaving the party this year. Both MLAs are running for the PCs in 2024.
Health care, followed by health care and health care. This is the main issue in a Nova Scotia election. Twice as many people are without a family practice as compared to when Houston took office in 2021.
This was a major concern in the 2021 election and the question will be whether the PCs have done enough so far on access to health care, especially in rural areas.
Sharp rent increases, especially in the last 3 years, are a major concern, even outside of Halifax.
Food prices and food sovereignty are concerns even in good times but especially lately.
Of course, the lost revenue will have to come from somewhere, so Nova Scotians aren't going to come out ahead in the end. With this obvious vote-buying scheme, those of you who don't use the bridges will now be paying for them, and for anything else those tolls paid for.#nspoli https://t.co/lg6tmMwcfC
— Audric Moses 🇨🇦 (@audricmoses) October 29, 2024
Nova Scotia goes Progressive Conservative for the first time since 2009
2021 Nova Scotia election preview
We had rumours for some time about a snap election in Nova Scotia (and Ontario). The timing could be to assure a conservative government given how right-wing parties did in provincial elections this fall.
The "fear" of having a provincial election in the same year as the federal election is a red herring at best. Newfoundland and Labrador is now the only province scheduled to have a 2025 election, scheduled on or before November 24. That would be after a federal election.
We have noted in recent coverage of New Brunswick and Saskatchewan elections that Saskatchewan and Nova Scotia are now the only Canadian provinces to have never elected a female premier. Alberta has had 3 elected female premiers.
Claudia Chender is an obvious contender in Nova Scotia though 6 seats with the New Democratic Party makes that unlikely unless a lot of blue and some red goes orange.
CanadianCrossing.com Nova Scotia coverage
2024 Canadian politics preview
CanadianCrossing.com Canadian politics coverage
We will also keep an eye out for bad weather later in the month if that interferes with early voting and/or Election Day. This is what you might get with a November snap election. Lower turnout generally helps conservative leaders.
photo credit and video credit: CBC News
Twitter capture: @audricmoses
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