Over the Canada Day long weekend, Interim Conservative leader Candice Bergen visited various communities around Nova Scotia to speak with residents and some of her local colleagues and says she saw signs of increasing support for her party.
Starting her visit with a trip to the South Shore where she met with South Shore-St. Margarets MP Rick Perkins had a chance to discuss issues important to his constituents and the ongoing discussions surrounding moderate livelihood fisheries.
“Rick is very knowledgeable about fisheries and the role they play in Atlantic communities, so I left our meeting feeling much more knowledgable about some of the issues facing the industry,” Bergen said. “Moderate livelihood fisheries is a historic issue that still hasn’t been resolved, Rick and I agree that we want the Miꞌkmaq to be able to fish for lobster and succeed at it but there are rules and regulations that everyone needs to follow.”.
MP Rick Perkins and Interim Conservative Leader Candice Bergen visited the Swiss Air 111 Memorial dedicated to the 229 men, women, and children who perished on September 2, 1998 near Peggy’s Cove. Photo: Conservative Caucus.
Bergen spent Canada Day in the Truro-Bible Hill riding with local MP Dr. Johh Ellis, where she joined him in the local parade.
While speaking with locals during that trip Bergen says she continued to hear similar things in regards to growing frustrations with the rising cost of living and the liberal government’s response.
“People have had enough of the politics of Justin Trudeau of wedge, divide stigmatize and politicize everything and they see hope with the Conservative party,” Bergen said.
That hope is fueling unprecedented support for the Conservative Party as they navigate a leadership race with Bergen saying they currently have 600,000 party members, a number that continues to grow every day at what she says are “historic” rates.
Bergen says she doesn’t mind what she has seen so far from candidates in the leadership race in terms of the oftentimes abrasive campaigns being led by some of the candidates. “I like the fact that people are debating ideas and I don’t mind if they disagree with each other or me, that’s a good thing democratic movement.”.
“We’re not in a good place as Canadians right now, and I think Canadians are much worse off after the last seven years under this government,” Bergen said.
Bergen wrapped up her trip in Nova Scotia visiting the ceremony for the 100th anniversary and rededication of the Westville Cenotaph honouring the town’s war dead.
