Nova Scotia party leaders break out new promises, dust off old ones

Welcome toCBC's Election Notebook, your source for regular updatesandessential news from the campaign trail.

It's Day 11 of Nova Scotia's 31-day provincial election campaign.

Promises new and old

All three major party leaders were making promises on Monday.

Liberal Leader Iain Rankin touted a pledge to spend $69 million over four years to increase the number of seats at the Nova Scotia Community College.

That would include 400 seats in health-related disciplines (270 for licensed practical nursing) and 400 seats covering residential construction trades, information technology and green energy programs.

"It's a crucial plank in our platform and it is a centrepiece, at the heart of our economic strategy to grow and innovate," Rankin said during a news conference at a construction site in Halifax.

"Our investment will make the Nova Scotia Community College the hub for innovation, training and job creation across the province."

The Liberals would also create 6,000 new virtual seats for career-enhancing short courses and micro-credentialling and 500 more seats in a program that provides upgrading opportunities for diverse and equity-seeking communities.

Progressive Conservative Leader Tim Houston revisited his party's plans to improve mental health care in the province.

Among other things, the Tories are promising universal access to mental health services to try to overcome long wait times and a two-tiered system that allows people who can afford it or who have insurance to access private practitioners.

"If you don't qualify for private mental health coverage, under our plan, you will," he told reporters.

"We will be the first province in Canada to treat mental health just like physical health. Nova Scotians don't know what it's like to pay cash for a hip replacement or a C-section, and nor should they. Likewise, when they're in the middle of a mental health crisis, Nova Scotians should not be thinking about the balance on their credit card."

Houston said his party would accomplish this by opening up billing codes to allow private practitioners to deliver service to anyone.

The party is also promising 24/7 mental-telehealth services and a dedicated 988 mental health crisis line, separate from 911.

NDP Leader Gary Burrill, meanwhile, was in Glace Bay with most of his Cape Breton candidates to talk about the party's platform and how it relates to the island.

Burrill said if the NDP forms government, the party would restore emergency medical care to the communities of New Waterford and North Sydney. The Liberals are currently replacing those community hospitals with long-term care facilities and community health clinics.

An NDPgovernment would tweak the design of the new buildings to include emergency rooms, but Burrill admitted that staffing would be a challenge.

The NDP is also promising to create up to 14 "same day, next day" mental health clinics across the province, with two of them being in Cape Breton, and Burrill said his government would provide Cape Breton Regional Municipality with an economic stimulus package of $150 million over three years.

"When it comes to the inequity in Cape Breton, we're not in the fine words and lovely phrases business," he said. "We're in the action business."

'Hate will never stop me'

It's not uncommon for signs to be vandalized during an election, but the Liberal candidate for Truro-Bible Hill-Millbrook-Salmon River experienced an ugly version of that on the weekend.

Three signs belonging to Tamara Tynes Powell were destroyed or removed, including one that was set on fire.

Powell, who is Black, said she was shaken by the vandalism, but won't be deterred.

"The more negativity that comes up, the more fire is going to fuel my flame because I'm not going to stop," she said. "Hate will never stop me."

The incident comes during an election when all three major parties have made increased efforts to field more diverse slates of candidates. That includes in the protected district of Preston, where the Liberals, NDP and Tories are all running Black candidates.

CBC to host leaders debate

The leaders of Nova Scotia's three main parties have been traveling to various parts of the province during the campaign, but they'll all be in the same place on Wednesday.

CBC Nova Scotia will host a debate, moderated by Tom Murphy and Amy Smith, from 6-7:30 p.m. AT.

The 90-minute event will be carried live on CBC TV, radio and online on CBC Nova Scotia's website, Facebook and Youtube pages, and the CBC Gem app. The debate will be broken into five sections: health care; the economy; diversity and inclusion; the environment; and virtual questions submitted by audience members.

Getting out the student vote

University students in the province are trying to flex their voting muscle.

The non-profit advocacy group Students Nova Scotia, which represents 20,000 students at colleges and universities across the province, has launched a get out the vote campaign.

Organizers are trying to get as many young people at possible to commit to vote and have organized an online information session with officials from Elections Nova Scotia.

Speaking of voting

How to vote

Check whether you are registered to vote with Elections Nova Scotia.

Once registered, you can vote in advance of election day by requesting a mail-in ballot or by visiting a returning office or advance polling station.

On election day, polling stations will be open from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. AT.

More information on voting is available from electionsnovascotia.ca.

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