SPRINGHILL, N.S. – It has only been six months since Tory Rushton was elected as the MLA for Cumberland South but he already believes he is beginning to see results in several areas.
“It has been a very busy year with a big learning curve getting used to be my new role,” Rushton said. “What we anticipated would be a normal legislature opening in October was changed when we learned in August that the legislature would be opening in September instead. So instead of getting around the riding in August, I had to spend a lot of time in Halifax getting ready for the opening of the legislature. It’s only now that I’m able to get around to see everyone in the riding.”
Rushton was elected by more than 1,000 votes in a by-election in June to replace former PC leader and MLA Jamie Baillie, who resigned suddenly in January amid allegations of misconduct.
The Cumberland South MLA said there are several projects that he is spending considerable time, including the Rainbow Bridge in Nappan that has been closed since last December and removed several months ago.
“We have been given several dates for its replacement. First, we were told 2019, but now we’re hearing it might be 2020. It keeps getting pushed back,” Rushton said. “We waiting for the five-year plan to come out to see where we stand and go from there. We want the government to build this bridge and have it complete before the end of 2019.”
Another issue Rushton is monitoring is the new school promised for Springhill. He said he has talked to the minister, Zach Churchill, who has told him it's a three to five-year process, but has committed to moving it along as quickly as possible.
“He wants it fast-tracked and wants to see a new school as soon as possible,” Rushton said, adding that it’s his understanding that site selection work has begun.
Looking ahead to 2019, Rushton said he wants the province to look at the aboiteau. The province is talking of replacing the bridge, but the community is hoping the aboiteau will be restored so it can again be used as a recreational area.
Rushton said there are some tourism issues in the area. He would like to see the province spend more tourism money in the county and support the tourism committee that has been established among Cumberland County’s three municipal units.
“There was $6 million spent on tourism in the province last year and none of it came to Cumberland County,” the Cumberland South MLA said. “Cumberland County is the gateway and the majority of tourists are coming via vehicles and we should have some money to be able to attract some of them to attractions in Cumberland County.”
Rushton is hoping to see some recreation funding for things like dugouts at baseball fields as well as funding for walking trails to promote active and healthy living. He said a lot of work has been done with trail infrastructure in the area, including the opening of the tunnel under Main Street in Oxford and the construction of a bridge over the Black River to connect trails in Oxford to other trails.
He would like to see that work expanded to connect to trails to areas such as Springhill, Parrsboro and Advocate Harbour.
Also, Rushton said, that even though he and Cumberland North MLA Elizabeth Smith-McCrossin sit in opposition it doesn’t mean things don’t get done. He said he has worked hard to develop relationships with members of the Liberal government’s cabinet.
“One of the first things I did in September was to develop good relationships with the ministers. It may not look like it in the legislature at times, but there’s a lot of work going on behind the scenes,” Rushton said. “I feel comfortable to pick up the phone to talk to them. I may not get the answers I want, but I know there’s a good relationship.”
One area that he is disappointed in is the continued closures of the ERs in Springhill and Parrsboro. While the minister has said closing ERs is a last resort, he said the closures are still too frequent.
Rushton said he’s willing to be part of the solution and wants to work with Health and Wellness Minister Randy Delorey to find a solution for hospitals in his riding and across the province.
He does plan to talk to the minister about the doctor situation in Parrsboro. He said there is only one doctor there, who is also looking after Advocate Harbour and is also working with the nurse practitioner in River Hebert.
He’s been talking to Oxford Mayor Trish Stewart about the ongoing issue with the sinkhole and he’s confident the province will help. He said the minister, Chuck Porter, has been to Oxford and seems to want to help.
Like Smith-McCrossin, Rushton wants the province to live up to its commitment to remove the tolls on the Cobequid Pass and he also wants Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal to revisit the plan put in place more than a decade after a freak November storm closed the pass and stranded hundreds of drivers on the highway for more than 10 hours.
Twitter: @ADNdarrell
