Given these challenges the new leader has their hands full. Let’s look at the candidates, their policies and a brief analysis of what to expect for them on October 27 th . Julie Chiasson is a new face to politics. She ran in the 2017 election in Chester St.-Margaret’s Bay and lost. She had a limited campaign with less than 4 weeks to build her rep- utation and still did well. Her bid for the PC leadership is based on transformation of our approach to government. She champions a fresh perspective on old problems facing NS. Her bold new direction slogan is stronger than just changing the captain of the ship; she wants to sell the ship and get an airplane. Chaisson offers a wealth of real-world experience in leadership, transformation and business development. Chaisson has bold ideas about modernizing government with improved information management to permit more online services, better healthcare and enhanced program assessments. Other campaign ideas include simplifying the organizational structure in health, using attrition to transform the civil service, and lowering the HST from 15% to 13%. To say Chaisson will have a tough job knocking off the front runners is reasonable. She is a new comer, but still has ideas garnering respect. Chaisson is a straight shooter who listens before speaking. Her performance in the debates improved exponentially. Of all the candidates, Chaisson did the best job of using the debates to win support. Will it be enough? Probably not, but expect to see her in the legislature after the next election. Elizabeth Smith-McCrossin is the second of two female candidates and the MLA for Cumberland North. Smith-McCrossin is new to politics entering in 2017. As an MLA she has served as the party’s health critic for a year until entering the leadership race. She has a background
in healthcare and as an entrepreneur in the Amherst area.
Smith-McCrossin’s policies are heavily weighted towards healthcare reform. She pledges to attract more doctors to NS, restore rural emergency room locums (had to look that one up), more long-term care beds and to change the health board. Originally, at a minimum, she called for medical professionals to be on the Health Authority Board. Now she’s advanced that position supporting firing the board and CEO.
Smith-McCrossin also wants to deliver a mega tax break to kick start the province’s economy.
She has included much needed tax breaks for small busi- nesses and corporations. There is also a $15,000 increase in the basic personal exemption for Nova Scotians making under $75,000. Surprisingly, she added a similar $10,000 break for everyone above $75,000 which applies to the richest Nova Scotians. Smith-McCrossin is considered as a potential leader, the question is when. After emerging in the race with a strong message, a poor choice of words in the legislature related to marijuana legalization left the MLA apologizing for comments some deemed as racist towards Jamaicans. She’s shown she can hold her own on the debate stage and delivers messages with passion. Her popularity in Northern Nova Scotia will provide her with a solid base heading into the convention in October. Smith-McCrossin needs support in Halifax and Cape Breton to win.
While a victory is possible, it will take a strong effort to secure undecided members and sway others to join her
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SPOTLIGHT ON BUSINESS MAGAZINE • SEPTEMBER 2018
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