The Election, the Results

Fall River (D2N) – It’s now been three weeks since the provincial election, which swept NDP MLA Percy Paris to a second term as MLA of the Waverley – Fall River – Beaver Bank riding. Paris was re-elected as a wave in the orange tide that moved across the province in a history-making vote by Nova Scotians which brought the NDP to power with a majority government.

Paris spent election night with his family and the people at his campaign office. “Usually on election night I don’t watch T.V.” he said in a recent interview. “I knew someone would come out and tell me whether I won or lost, so I spent my time outside talking to people. My daughter was the first person to come out and tell me I had won.”

Paris said he stayed and celebrated for a couple of hours with supporters who gathered at his campaign office, and then got in his car and went to town to take in the celebrations there. “I spoke briefly with the Premier-Elect, and we thanked and congratulated one another for campaigns we individually ran,” he said.

The MLA is equally pleased with the results of the election locally and province-wide. “I feel the excitement in Nova Scotia; I think people are looking for change, I certainly hope we deliver.” he said. “This election, for me personally, was more gratifying than the earlier election three years ago. Being re-elected re-affirms and validates you by the electors for the good things you think you’ve done. It says “keep doing what you’ve been doing”.”

No doubt the newly appointed Minister has much on his agenda; there is a great deal to do as Paris gets settled into his new positions. He will be overseeing Economic and Rural Development; the Department of Tourism, Culture and Heritage; Nova Scotia Business Inc.; and African – Nova Scotian Affairs.

“My appointments are equally exciting and individual challenges,” said Paris. “This period we area in, this recession; these are challenging times for Nova Scotians, like all of Canada, but these are exciting times too. This is time for opportunity. I see it as the glass being half-full, not half empty. This is the opportunity for new direction; for the issues of today to align with the priorities of tomorrow.”

Paris says he is very pleased to be part of a majority government. “Nova Scotia is very uniquely positioned,” he said. People want to live here, and to come back here to live. This creates ample opportunity to do bigger and better things for the good of the whole.”

The new premier has already named his cabinet, and it is smaller than the cabinets of previous governments, a move that, if those named can handle the added responsibilities of more than one portfolio, could save hundreds of thousands of dollars for the government.

“There is such diversity and strength among those appointed as Ministers,” said Paris. “There is a selection of skill-sets.”

Premier Dexter has not ruled out expanding his cabinet if need be to better disperse the responsibilities of individual Ministers if it proves to be too overwhelming and more hands are needed to properly govern the various offices.

Paris wants residents to know it’s business as usual at his office in Windsor Junction, where his assistant Laura will be maintaining the operations while Paris is going through the initial transition period as he is brought up to date on his new positions and all of the responsibilities they will include.

“I’m very happy to be at the Executive Table; it’s a huge responsibility and a welcome responsibility,” he said. “Admittedly, there will be a transition period, for all of us. My availability will decrease somewhat initially as I will be away, but I have great confidence in the staff here and it’s business as usual. I really want to re-iterate that. There are impacts for any MLA, regardless of their political stripes, but being at the Executive Table, being there gives me more direct interaction with decision making, and that’s a good thing.”

Paris did not forget to pay respects to those who came before him in his party. “I have to give credit where credit is due,” he said. “I have to give credit to those who represented us in days gone by, people like Robert Chisholm and Alexa McDonough. They helped pave the way for those of us to come, for the people running for office today.”

The MLA said he is excited about the future and is looking forward to the next four years. “Again, I want to re-iterate to the electorate, I want to say “thank-you”. The public can rest assured I will try to remain as accessible as I have in the past. I will try to make the riding of Waverley-Fall River-Beaver Bank proud they re-elected me as their representative.”

PC candidate Gary Hines and Liberal candidate Bill Horne also took a moment to express their thoughts on the election, and to thank those who supported their efforts as well.

While Mr. Hines and his wife Brenda opted to stay at home and relax, and to view the election results with Hines’ mother and sister earlier in the evening before going to Hines PC Headquarters and mingling with supporters and friends, Mr. Horne spent the evening with his family, friends and supporters at his home in Wellington. Both gentlemen joined their election campaign workers afterwards and graciously thanked all of the people who helped them.

“As we watched the election results it was obvious the tide (orange) was coming in and regardless of the great campaign that our team ran, we were not going to be successful,” said Hines. “I am so proud of our team that was comprised of individuals from our communities who gave of themselves unselfishly working against a contingent of out of province workers.”

Hines offered his congratulations to Mr. Paris and the New Democratic Party. “I personally wish the New NDP government well, because when they govern successfully our residents are the winners,” he said.

The former PC candidate says he hopes the newly elected government will continue to push forward with many of the projects supported by the former government. He says he plans to continue working on a number of projects he has been involved with.

“My plans for the future are undecided,” said Hines, “however I will be supporting Councillor Dalrymple with his baseball field in the McDonald sports park and will be pushing the new government to get up to speed in a hurry to provide funding that was already planned by the out-going government. I will also be looking for the NDP and Liberal MLA’S for the Waverley, Fall River area to get up to speed on the Rocky Lake project and continue the record of support for the Rocky Lake project that we enjoyed from the McDonald government.”

“I have always said that governments are voted out when the people want change, which they deliver at the polls,” Hines said. “I admit that I can’t understand why a government with successive balanced budgets, a positive growth record and a plan for economic stimulus and job creation, would be replaced by a socialist government with no plan.” Hines said he is interested in seeing what unfolds provincially during the next few years, under the newly elected government.

“I would like to congratulate Bill Horne on a great campaign run by local people,” said Hines. “Bill and I went in as friends, ran campaigns that were friendly, and remain friends today. I congratulate the NDP on their win despite the cloud that hangs over their campaign funding that I suspect will never be made transparent in the days ahead. I look forward to the balanced budget that they campaigned on, and to a record of continued balanced budgets that are required by law in this province.”

Hines said he is appreciative of all the support he had during his campaign. “I would like to thank all those who got out and voted to assure our democracy lives. In particular I would like to thank those who cast ballots for me personally and last but not least I WOULD LIKE TO THANK MY TEAM WHO FELT THE LOSS TO THE SAME DEGREE THAT Brenda and I did,” said Hines. “I have talked to almost all of them and the dedication they demonstrated in the past month has already been expressed by plans to build and fight another day.”

Bill Horne said he was not prepared for the huge win of the NDP. “I was quite surprised, as I think most Nova Scotians were,” he said. “I didn’t expect the “orange crush”. As for my own personal loss, I was quite disappointed. I feel if I had got in another month earlier I would have done a little bit better. I could have gotten out more to meet the people, to visit people door to door and talk with them. Unfortunately I came up a little short.”

As for the future, Horne has not ruled anything out just yet. “I have collected all my signs and have put them all neatly away,” he said. “Four years is a long way away, but I have put them away in case I do run again in the future. There is a lot more work at the provincial level than there is at the municipal level when you are running for politics; there is a lot more paperwork.” Horne chuckled. “I had a good man beside me, my campaign manager Bill Munden, he made it easier to handle.”

Horne was gracious and offered his congratulations both of his opponents. “I’d like to congratulate Percy on his win,” he said. “And I’d like to congratulate Gary for running a nice, clean campaign.”

Horne also offered his thanks to his supporters and to his family. “I was quite pleased with the volunteers who came forward; they did a wonderful job with the signs, and the phones, and they had all the polls covered. And I must not forget the people who donated money to help with my campaign, and to my family for their support. Thank you to everyone.”