Liberal candidate for South Shore- St. Margarets Bernadette Jordan. Photo: Facebook
Running for the Liberals in South Shore-St Margarets is incumbent Bernadette Jordan who is seeking her third win in the riding.
Following her reelection in 2019, she was appointed to two cabinet positions. First, she was appointed as Rural Economic Development Minister before then being tapped as Minister of Fisheries, Oceans, and the Canadian Coast Guard.
In her time with the DFO she has overseen projects to reduce ghost fishing gear and she also helped coordinate the removal of the derelict Comoront which had been sitting in the LaHave River for over a decade. Arguably the most notable fishery issue she has dealt with is the ongoing issues surrounding moderate livelihood fisheries.
Jordan says the Marshall decision made it very clear indigenous fishers have a right to fish but there is still a role for government to play, “DFO is able to regulate that fishery and that is the role of government, we need to make sure we work with First Nations to get to a place where they can exercise their rights in a regulated framework,”.
She says out-of-season fishing can cause significant challenges for conservation efforts which her government considers a priority and as such those concerns need to be taken into account.
Looking to the future Jordan feels the Liberals are offering the best solutions to the issues shaping this election like housing, healthcare and indigenous reconciliation.
One program she is particularly proud of is the Liberal’s plans for child care. In Nova Scotia terms have already been agreed to offer $10 a day childcare which is being majorly supported by an injection of federal money. Jordan says the cost of child care is a barrier for many, specifically women, “This makes sure women are able to fully participate in the workforce and not face barriers because of a lack of child care,”.
Jordan has been out knocking on doors since the outset of the campaign and plans to continue doing that throughout the campaign. She is also set to debate the other candidates from the riding on August 7.
