Tory nomination shows disregard for Nova Scotians: Brison

BY BRENT FOX

The Advertiser

NovaNewsNow.com

She’s having a great time, but at least one of her opponents thinks the way she became the Kings-Hants Tory candidate is contrary to the democratic process.

Rosemary Segado is the headquarters-appointed Kings-Hants Conservative candidate in the current general election campaign. She is a small businesswoman and two-term Wolfville town councillor.

Political gossip in parts of the riding had Dr. Bob Mullan wanting to give it a third try; or maybe Margie Jenkins, wife of provincial Environment Minister Mark Parent, or Leslie Porter, wife of Hants West MLA Chuck Porter showing various degrees of interest. A Berwick-area woman, Becky Brydon, is also said to have prepared for the nomination.

Meanwhile, Segado told The Kings County Advertiser of her Sept. 8 candidacy, “I’m so excited by all of this. I want to get out and meet people. I don’t think this is an issue,” she said. “There is a process to it. I applied for it and the process has been followed.”

Segado said, “it’s going to be very busy. Everybody is so excited.”

Says PM has run roughshod over the process

Incumbent Liberal MP Scott Brison said, “I think this is another case of Stephen Harper’s disregard for the Nova Scotian people.”

Brison said Harper’s treatment of riding associations in the province is part of the electoral deficit. He said of the prime minister, “he is being extremely hypocritical.”

The Kings-Hants incumbent noted he had fought nomination battles as a Progressive Conservative and a Liberal and hasn’t feared the task. His beef with Harper in this is the prime minister has run roughshod over the rights of the Conservative nomination process in the province.

NDP candidate Carol Harris noted she is not familiar with the Tory nomination process, but would be speaking with ‘progressive’ Conservative friends on the matter to gain a better insight before getting deeper into the matter. At this point, however, for the Tories, “it looks like a very unwise move.” It appears to be anything but ‘progressive,’ she said.

Green Party candidate Brendan MacNeill said he doesn’t know exactly what the Tory nomination process is at the constituency level, but “once again the prime minister scorns the democratic process.” This sort of thing was done with the October, 2009 election deadline, MacNeill added.

He pointed out that the Green Party’s process is for an interested candidate to seek the nomination vocally, and the constituency association okays it to go on for final approval from the leader. He is currently awaiting final approval from party leader Elizabeth May.

MLAs sing Segado’s praises

In a Sept. 9 news release, Parent, Porter and Natural Resources Minister David Morse, the three Conservative MLAs in the riding, sang Segado’s praises.

Parent said Friday he was excited to see the voters have the opportunity to cast a ballot for someone with Segado’s energy, experience and commitment. “Upon her election, I will be happy to work with her for the good of the area.”

Morse said Segado, who is a constituent of his, has provided good representation and leadership on Wolfville town council and has been a loyal supporter during his election campaigns. She “is going to bring a refreshing presence to Ottawa.”

A former town councillor, Porter said, “I know what it takes to be a successful municipal official. Rosemary Segado’s record in Wolfville speaks for itself. I am looking forward to working, side-by-side, with Rosemary to provide strong leadership in our communities.”