OXFORD – Progressive Conservatives in Cumberland South are ready to hit the campaign trail.
With the help of former MLA Murray Scott and former premiers Roger Bacon and John Buchanan, Tory Rushton launched his campaign at the Oxford branch of the Royal Canadian Legion on Saturday by calling on Premier Stephen McNeil to end the wait and call a byelection to replace former PC leader Jamie Baillie, who resigned the seat several months ago.
“I don’t know when this election is going to be called, I can’t predict that, but I will predict something for you. We will win this election,” Rushton said. “I will fight for our children, our seniors and any citizen concern that comes our way.”
The byelection, which many expect could be called in the next week or so, and October’s party leadership convention will lead to renewed interest in the PC party and Rushton is confident Nova Scotians will elect a Progressive Conservative government in the next provincial election.
Rushton feels the byelection will be about two main issues – education and seniors. With speculation the governing Liberals could announce a new elementary school as part of its capital plan early this week, Rushton is disappointed the government would play politics with children’s education considering Springhill has been asking for a new school for more than a decade.
“The Springhill schools were a priority when I sent out my first release. As we all know, those schools students are going into every day need to be replaced,” Rushton said. “If he announces a new school for Springhill in the next few days and plays politics with that announcement, while I welcome the announcement I want to remind people that way back in the Murray Scott is when this fight started. We had schools on the list and they were taken off that list for unknown reasons. They say this new plan will not be politically enhanced and I hope they are right. I hope there’s a process where elected officials do not have to get involved to say where we need to build these schools. It’s not right to play politics with our children.”
Rushton also feels it’s not right that seniors have to go to nursing homes and senior’s complexes outside Cumberland County because no additional beds have been created here. It’s time for Nova Scotians to begin sticking up for seniors and for government to invest in senior’s beds so seniors and their families can share their last cherished days close to home.
The production supervisor at Oxford Frozen Foods and former Oxford fire chief said he wants to be the person to go to Halifax to represent the wishes of Cumberland South and not the person who represents the wishes of Halifax in Cumberland South.
Rushton said he’s proud to be the grandson of former PC cabinet minister George Henley. He doesn’t want to ride the coattails of his grandfather, but he knows it’s going to come up and he’s amazed at how people respond when they learn he is Henley’s grandson.
“I wasn’t in Parrsboro 10 minutes when I ran into someone who was putting up a brick wall, thinking here’s another politician trying to get my support. As soon as George Henley was mentioned the door was open and I was in the kitchen,” he said.
Bacon, who was the Cumberland East MLA from 1970 to 1993 and served briefly as premier, told Rushton to make sure he has a good campaign team in place and urged him to let the people see him as much as possible.
“People buy people and they want to see you,” Bacon said. “Never stop knocking on doors and letting people know they matter to you.”
Buchanan urged Rushton to be like his grandfather and be a “people person.”
“The Number1 thing in political life is people. They’re the ones who elect you,” Buchanan said.
When the byelection is called, Rushton will face New Democrat Larry Duchesne, Thor Lengies of the Atlantica Party and Liberal Scott Lockhart. Lockhart won the Cumberland South Liberal nomination on Sunday in Springhill.
Twitter: @ADNdarrell