Five candidates are vying to replace Lenore Zann, who resigned from her 10 year span as NDP MLA for Truro-Bible Hill-Millbrook-Salmon River. Now they await for Premier McNeil to set a date for the by-election. Progressive Conservatives, Green Party, Liberals and NDP all have nominated candidates with Matthew Rushton announcing he will be running as an independent.

The constituency has been without an MLA since September. The by-election must be held by March 2020.

A few months ago Dave Ritcey was chosen by the Progressive Conservatives, while within the last month, the Liberals chose Allan Kennedy; NDP have selected Kathleen Kevany and the Green Party are placing their hopes on Ivan Drouin. Matthew Rushton, who was a liberal candidate in the last provincial election in the riding of Colchester South is running as an independent.

Dave Ritcey is Director of Community and Business Development for the Community Credit Union for Cumberland – Colchester. He’s following in the steps of his grandfather, Gerry Ritcey, served as a PC MLA for Colchester from 1968 to 1974 and acted as the Minister of Tourism and Industry.

Allan Kennedy, a well known long-time educator, has been chosen to represent the Nova Scotia Liberal Party in an eventual by-election. He edged out Alison Graham-Fulmore who also sought the Liberal nomination.

Season’s Greetings to All

On behalf of Council and the Municipality of Colchester, I would like to extend the warmest of Season’s Greetings to all. As we approach the holidays and another new year, we take time to reflect upon the many blessings we have here in Colchester County.

We can be thankful for friends and family, for good neighbours, and for living in a beautiful part of the globe that enjoys peace, democracy, freedom and an abundance of resources that far exceed many parts of the World.

At this time of the year, may we be mindful of being kind to one another, giving to those in need, and may we all be dedicated to making Colchester a better place in 2020. Council will do its best to uphold its many priorities and goals, a few of which include:

• To continue to spend wisely, be good fiscal stewards of our residents’ tax dollars and maintain one of the lowest municipal tax rates in Nova Scotia.
• To continue to be strong leaders and environmental stewards through waste reduction and renewable energy initiatives like our award-winning Solar Colchester program.
• To grow the economy in Colchester by investing in solutions to improve broadband rural internet, major event hosting, strategic tourism developments like the Fundy Discovery Site and Cliffs of Fundy Geopark and partnerships like the Truro Colchester Partnership for Economic Prosperity.
• To address doctor shortages in our community through physician recruitment.
• To foster better communication and engagement with residents ("Follow" us on Twitter, "Like" us on Facebook, and subscribe to Alert Truro Colchester to receive notifications to keep you and your family safe in the event of an emergency).
• To continue to invest in our not-for-profit organizations that are so essential to the vibrancy of our community and to the many services and facilities we enjoy here!

I wish you a Merry Christmas, a Happy New Year 2020, and all the best this holiday season. Please stay safe, enjoy time with loved ones, and be sure to embrace this most wonderful time of the year!

Kindest regards to all, Christine Blair, Mayor

Most who read my monthly article are aware I am one of four representatives from Nova Scotia who sit on the national board of Federation of Canadian Municipalities. The four consist of one from Halifax, one from Nova Scotia Federation of Municipalities and two elected at large by Nova Scotia delegates. I have been one of the elected-at-large for the past 6 years. Maurice has asked me to begin to report on these meetings separately from my monthly article.

FCM Board meets four times per year. The November meeting is always held in Ottawa and is typically four days of meeting with MP’s from all parties as well as Ministers in what we call Political action days. Given that the new Government had just been formed and Ministers had only been appointed for a few days and many MP’s did not even have offices the November meeting was reduced to 3 days. We had speeches from three Political Parties during lunch breaks - Jagmet Singh, NDP; Chrystia Freeland and Catherine McKenna from the Liberals and Eric Duncan from Conservatives. All pretty much what you would expect, in terms of Party affiliation. However it was less interesting and educational in that it gave a bit of a view into where each party is heading during this government’s term.

There is no question everything the Government is planning, from Infrastructure to Agriculture, will be viewed through a climate change lens. The Prime Minister met with FCM Executive, I am not currently on the exec as, Atlantic Caucus Chair rotates through the four Atlantic caucuses and NFLD is the current member, but the message was the same Climate.

As Vice Chair of the Rural Forum I did get the opportunity to meet with Agriculture Minister Bibeau. I thought it was a good meeting, The Minister spoke about, her belief there is tremendous potential for growth in Canadian Agriculture and Agri Food. I advised that Colchester was home to Dalhousie Agriculture University, Perenia Agri-Food research facility as well as, the value of Agriculture to Colchester and the province. I requested should she be in the vicinity of Colchester that she take the time and I would arrange for tours of our growing farms.

I also had the opportunity to chair a round table discussion with the Rural Forum and Minister of Rural Economic Development, Minister Maryam Monsef. I was very pleased to see the passion she showed when discussing potential Rural Economic Development. By far the vast majority of questions and comments during the round table were about Rural Broadband and the challenges faced, in attracting any rural development or even retaining residents without an acceptable level of broadband service.

When the meeting was over, I had the opportunity to speak privately with Minister and her Deputy, so I took advantage to brief and Promote our upcoming World UNESCO cliffs of Fundy Geopark and its potential for Rural Economic Development.

FCM has asked that we make contact with our local MP’s especially new ones and brief them on FCM and the critical role we play in support of Municipalities across Canada. I have spoken with our New MP, Lenore Zann, and have a tentative meeting set for the week of December 16. I will take advantage of that meeting to promote Local Challenges as well as National Municipal Priorities. Project # 1 will be to enlist Ms Zann’s support to invite Minister of Rural Economic Development to tour Cliffs of Fundy World Geo Park sites.

That’s it for FCM for now. Next meeting will be in March