Liberals excited by growing support

McNeil said, for example, the Queens riding chapter has gone from not fielding a candidate in the last provincial election to sending a maximum permitted 30 delegates to the provincial leadership vote last April.

“It speaks well of the reinvigoration of the party here.” The Annapolis MLA added at least two potential Queens candidates have already spoken to him about running in the next election.

He said “the excitement that’s been missing among Liberals across the province” has now returned because, in part, of efforts to write policies based on grassroots consultations.

Dr. Smith said he is experiencing the same excitement and that voters are becoming increasingly dismayed with the other parties.

He said numerous issues need action, including youth outmigration and the “debacle’ over the Atlantic Accord. He said voters would remember current MP Gerald Keddy’s failure to fight for the province over equalization payments and natural gas royalties arranged by the former federal Liberal government but “disrespectfully” tossed away by Prime Minister Stephen Harper. Both men also agreed Premier Rodney MacDonald failed to fight for Nova Scotians and, at the start, NDP leader, Darrell Dexter was silent about the issue.

Dr. Smith added for this issue, and others like youth outmigration and the fisheries, cooperation is necessary amongst the different levels of government.

McNeil agreed. “That’s really been missing, the link between the provincial government and local communities.”

With youth outmigration, and many other issues, he explained, various communities could, with proper support from government, find solutions to problems based on each area’s unique character.

Dr. Smith said, in fact, neither the New Democratic Party nor the Progressive Conservatives or Conservatives have a cohesive rural economic sustainability platform.

“I’ve recently witnessed more meaningful discussions with the Liberals than I’ve seen in the last 10 or 11 years.”

McNeil said the Progressive Conservative government is short-sighted by actual definition in its approach to helping small business.

He said governments, of course, should remain open to small firms with 80 to 100 employees but “The reality is many small businesses in small communities are run by two or three people. What government needs to do is reach out to these people and say what can we do…to help you.”

Dr. Smith said an example of lacking cooperation or consultations between government and communities is a proposal to build a 70-acre aquaculture farm on Port Mouton Bay.

He said he was speaking earlier to Darlene Norman, a Friends of Port Mouton Bay member who is helping lead the fight to stop the development. He said the Friends of Port Mouton Bay, and the Liberal Party, are not opposed to aquaculture if it is developed in places that won’t hurt an area’s eco-system.

McNeil echoed this sentiment.

McNeil added the federal government has also failed to consult directly with fishermen over changes to the Fisheries Act, which has created fear. On this subject, both men said various fishing regions of the country have varying issues that can’t be met with blanket policies and regulations.

Dr. Smith said, “I think we have to go slowly and look at where the wealth is being taken out of the South Shore and ensure it’s not to the detriment of the people of the South Shore.”

McNeil spoke directly to Keddy. “You promised to consult. Now it’s time to consult before you change the act.”