Strait Talk Episode 33

Claudia Chender, the first woman elected Leader of the Official Opposition in Nova Scotia, recently spoke with Civic Journalist Jake Boudrot about the NDP’s performance in the provincial election.

On election night, the NDP secured nine seats, and Chender shared her reaction to the results. Despite forming the opposition, the party struggled outside the Halifax Regional Municipality and Cape Breton Regional Municipality, finishing a distant third in many rural ridings, including Richmond and Inverness.

In Richmond, NDP candidate Marc Currie received 218 votes, while in Inverness, Joanna Clark garnered 884 votes.

Boudrot also asked Chender about the Progressive Conservatives' historic win of 43 seats, seeking her perspective on the party’s commanding majority.

He further questioned whether Nova Scotians are generally satisfied with Premier Tim Houston's government or if the results reflected a broader rejection of the federal Liberals, specifically Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

The discussion then turned to the Liberals’ historically low showing, winning only two seats. Chender was asked whether this outcome rendered the Liberal Party politically irrelevant in Nova Scotia and if the NDP now faces the task of filling the opposition void.

Another notable aspect of the election was the low voter turnout, with only 45 percent of eligible Nova Scotians casting their ballots on Nov. 26. In Inverness, voter participation was slightly higher at 49.04 percent. Chender shared her views on these concerning numbers.

Less than a week after the election, the NDP issued a press release on Dec. 2 urging the Houston government to permanently remove the HST on groceries. Chender explained why she believes this policy change is crucial.