Dear Progressive Conservative:
For this report, I am going to do something a little different than in past versions.
As you know, my reports usually focus on what our leader Karen Casey, our MLAs or our party members have been up to in recent weeks. And I must say, having attended meetings and dinners in such constituencies as Halifax Atlantic, Digby-Annapolis and Kings South, Hants West, Dartmouth-Portland Valley, Cumberland North and Sackville-Cobequid, I continue to be impressed by the energy and commitment of our volunteer Tories. Our Presidents Council also met in Bible Hill on May 15, giving constituency presidents a chance to get updates from Karen Casey, PC Nova Scotia Fund, the Leadership Convention Committee, Membership Committee, Communications Committee and Ad Hoc Committee on Minority Representation.
But the most important thing facing our party is the June 22 by-election set for the constituencies of Glace Bay and Yarmouth. If you and your constituency associations can do anything to help our party between now and June 22, please direct your efforts to one or both constituencies.
In Glace Bay, a young professional by the name of Michelle Wheelhouse was selected to be our candidate last week at a well attended nomination meeting. Michelle represents a new generation of leaders - like our new Inverness MLA and finance critic Allan MacMaster - who are stepping up to give voters the chance to choose change. With PC MLAs Keith Bain, Cecil Clarke and Alfie MacLeod representing our other constituencies in the Cape Breton Regional Municipality, our party is poised to present our strongest by-election campaign in that part of the province in nearly a decade. In fact, both Cecil Clarke and Alfie MacLeod were both first elected to the legislature through by-elections, so they and their teams are among the best and most experienced by-election campaigners in the province.
In Yarmouth, former mayor Charles Crosby won a contested nomination on Saturday. Charles is one of Yarmouth's most well known and accomplished community leaders, bringing 37 years of proven experience and commitment to the people of Yarmouth. He is also a former president of the Union of Nova Scotia Municipalities and board member of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities. Working in concert with neighbouring Argyle MLA Chris d'Entremont and West Nova MP Greg Kerr, Charles Crosby is the clear and best choice for Yarmouth voters who want an MLA that can deliver positive results in the wake of the Dexter NDP government's cancellation of ferry service out of that community.
By-elections often yield unpredictable results. Both Glace Bay and Yarmouth are expecting to see six candidates run in each constituency, meaning voter identification, organization and getting out the vote will be more important than ever.
Both Michelle Wheelhouse and Charles Crosby have strong and growing teams, but it's important that we as Progressive Conservatives from every constituency in the province do what we can to help.
There are many ways you can help:
- making a financial donation
- getting a group of people to head down to Yarmouth or Glace Bay to knock on doors, make telephone calls or put up signs (Saturdays are particularly good for blitzes)
- encouraging friends or family members you know in either constituency to vote Progressive Conservative (which is easier than ever to do before by-election or even advance polls through a special ballot at the local returning office)
As we did in last October's by-elections in Inverness and Antigonish, the PC Party of Nova Scotia has allocated resources to both Glace Bay and Yarmouth, based on the needs that have been identified locally in each constituency.
I encourage you and your constituency association to do what you can to help. Winning one or both constituencies will be a tremendous boost to our party's ongoing rebuilding efforts. Jim David from PC Headquarters will send out contact and official agent information for both constituencies so you can help.
As always, please drop me a line (robert.batherson@pcparty.ns.ca) or call (902-454-7436) if you have any questions or concerns.
Otherwise, see you on the (by-election) campaign trail!
Rob
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