Inverness provincial byelection (Nova Scotia)
August 5, 2009 - 2:31pm
The Halifax Chronicle-Herald reports that Rodney MacDonald is stepping down as MLA for Inverness.
Former premier Rodney MacDonald announced Wednesday he intends to step down as MLA for Inverness.
He issued a news release Wednesday afternoon saying he will quit before the fall sitting of the legislature, which is expected in late September or early October. Mr. MacDonald has been an MLA since 1999.
"I leave knowing that much has been accomplished and that the County of Inverness is on the right track economically and socially with improved infrastructure and services," Mr. MacDonald said in the release.
"The Progressive Conservative Party of Nova Scotia is in capable hands with interim leader Karen Casey and a strong, experienced caucus. I want to thank the party leadership, provincial constituency associations and party members, and those I have served with throughout the years for their support and confidence."
Mr. MacDonald, whose party went from power to third place in the June 9 election, resigned as Tory leader in June.
He issued a news release Wednesday afternoon saying he will quit before the fall sitting of the legislature, which is expected in late September or early October. Mr. MacDonald has been an MLA since 1999.
"I leave knowing that much has been accomplished and that the County of Inverness is on the right track economically and socially with improved infrastructure and services," Mr. MacDonald said in the release.
"The Progressive Conservative Party of Nova Scotia is in capable hands with interim leader Karen Casey and a strong, experienced caucus. I want to thank the party leadership, provincial constituency associations and party members, and those I have served with throughout the years for their support and confidence."
Mr. MacDonald, whose party went from power to third place in the June 9 election, resigned as Tory leader in June.
What a quitter!
What have been the results in the last few elections in this riding?
I think the results from past elections are irrelevant. A lot of people in rural NS vote for the person and not the party. With McDonald out of the picture and with the NDP in the midst of a honeymoon, the byelection will be WIDE OPEN.
Here are the results of the 4 elections where Ronald, oops, Rodney MacDonald was the P.C. candidate:
1999 2003 2006 2009
PC 3876 5398 7404 5412
LIB 3549 3871 1627 1920
NDP 1612 1277 1342 2016
OTH - - 133 307
For the first time in the riding's history, in 2009 the NDP finished second.
Given his personal popularity in the area, and the growth of NDP support on mainland Nova Scotia, I'll make a very sizable bet that Rodney has his eye on going against Rodger Cuzner in Cape Breton-Canso in the next federal election, with a guarantee of a cabinet post should no other Conservatives get elected.
Maybe Peter MacKay might be looking provincially at the leadership of the Nova Scotia Conservatives now?
We all know Steven Harper wouldn't shed one tear if MacKay left federal politics!
Stay tuned!
Several wrong barks up the tree.
For one thing, Peter McKay is not interested in being the Leader of the Official Rump.
Nor is Rodney interested in having to fight for a [federal] seat. And I seriously doubt anyone considers him Cabinet material.
I thought Rodney would stay where he was because he's way too far from a pension, and politicians who were teachers don't seem to relish going back to teaching... let alone ones who were Premeir. And Rodney doesn't have the cachet to get a plum job in the private sector.
But I forgot about the Senate... and that offshore deal that Rodney ate shit to sign with Harper. Payoff time. It's been known for long before that deal that the PCs were a less than 50% chance to survive the election.
But it is interesting the NDP is in contention, at the very least. The Libs will be pushing hard, and would generally be the natural inheritors.
While it does seem to be a more historically logical choice for the Libs to challenge for this seat, with the NDP in government, some great new candidates might come forward. I liked our last guy well enough though.
I think the NDP can take it. The last election, the PC numbers dive-bombed, the Liberals flatlined, and the NDP soared. In the byelection, the PCs will divebomb, the Liberals could flatline, and the NDP has its work cut out for it.
I'm hoping to see Michael MacIsaac at the NDP federal convention this weekend and ask him if he'll be interested in standing again as the Inverness candidate after finished second to Ronald, ooops, Rodney MacDonald.
Might history repeat itself in Cape Breton?
Back in 2001, after former Liberal Premier Russell MacLellan resigned as the M.L.A. for Cape Breton North, the voters went with the governing party, chosing Conservative Cecil Clarke in the resulting by-election.
Will the voters of Inverness do the same?
Stay tuned!