Former NDP cabinet minister says Tories the best bet to defeat Liberals

Former NDP cabinet minister Denise Peterson-Rafuse says Tory Leader Tim Houston and his party are the best option to fix health-care problems in Nova Scotia.

Peterson-Rafuse, who was an MLA for eight years before being defeated in the 2017 provincial election, appeared with Houston during his regular media briefing Friday to endorse the Progressive Conservatives.

"I never dreamt in my life that I would ever stand by a PC leader and say that I am supporting him in the election," said the former community services minister.But although her views on social justice issues and other matters that better align with the NDP have not changed, Peterson-Rafuse, who was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2016, said the Tory health-care platform stands out above the restin this election.

"They're not making promises that they cannot keep," she said.

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The former Chester-St. Margarets MLA talked about her own struggles to get appointments with specialists and the challenges she's witnessed in the long-term care system while caring for her mother, who died last year from dementia, and now her father.

Houston said the endorsement of a former political rival, who contacted him in recent days, "thrilled" and "humbled" him and shows his party is gaining momentum. The announcement came a day after Houston made a request of people who don't normally vote for the Tories to lend him their vote for this election.

"Denise and I didn't sit in the same caucus, and we might have sparred a couple times on the floor of the legislature, but I've always had tremendous respect for Denise and we are both passionate about making life better for the people of Nova Scotia," he said.

Before pledging her support to Houston, Peterson-Rafuse said she grilled him on his progressiveness and confirmed that he's in no way beholden to the Conservative Party of Canada.

She said it was a difficult decision to back a different party this election, but Peterson-Rafuse said timing doesn't appear to be on the side of the NDP.

"I think that the PCs have the better opportunity at this time to knock off the Liberals, but they have the whole package," she said.

Meanwhile, Peterson-Rafuse's former caucus colleague, NDP Leader Gary Burrill, said she has the right to make her own decisions but he's pleased with the campaign his party is running in Chester-St. Margarets and other districts.

"I couldn't be any more excited about the candidate who's representing the NDP, Amy Reitsma," he said.

"There's a great deal of positive interest and hope associated with Amy's candidacy and I don't see this position of Denise as really affecting that in a major way."

Peterson-Rafuse did not endorse Burrill during his leadership bid in 2016, backing instead their former caucus colleague Lenore Zann. Zann has since left the NDP fold and is now the Liberal member of parliament for Cumberland-Colchester.

As for her own political future, Peterson-Rafuse said she has no plans.