Election battle begins
Chisholm, Boudreau exchange early pleasantries
GUYSBOROUGH - They're off and running.
Just four days into the battle for the Guysborough-Sheet Harbour provincial seat, Conservative candidate Ron Chisholm and the NDP's Jim Boudreau have already taken very different stands on the riding's key issues and what has been achieved in recent years.
In interviews with The Journal on Monday and Tuesday, Chisholm and Boudreau gave hints about what voters will hear from them before the June 13 ballot.
What Liberal candidate Dave Horton is up to, meanwhile, remains a mystery. He didn't return The Journal's call or email.
Chisholm said transportation and continuing work on the riding's roads is an issue of key importance. He said several roads in the riding had significantly improved since 1999 and that while the transportation network wasn't perfect, efforts to improve conditions were ongoing.
"It's still not where we want to be but we have made ongoing improvements every year and I'm looking forward to being able to continue doing that," Chisholm said.
"I'm giving (the election) my best shot and we'll see where it takes us."
Boudreau, who was narrowly defeated by Chisholm in the last election, said he was running again because he "owed it to the people" who voted for him.
He said the riding faced many huge challenges and problems, including the fading fortunes of the fishing industry, improving the lives of senior citizens and capitalizing on economic opportunities.
"I'm very much concerned with the economic conditions that exist in Nova Scotia and the missed opportunities," Boudreau said.
"I think there's a lot of potential in Guysborough."
"Over the last seven years people haven't seen things get better - it's gotten worse. More and more of our businesses have closed up and more and more of our people are leaving."
Those comments drew a cool response from Chisholm.
"I don't agree with Mr Boudreau, that's obvious. That's basically what I expected him to say," Chisholm said.
"Obviously he hasn't looked around at the fitness centre in Guysborough, the fitness centre down in Fanning and Hazel Hill…funding for the upgrade at the super port in Mulgrave, the museum in Mulgrave, the Sheet Harbour fitness centre and a whole host of other things.
"He's going to try and criticize and run his kind of campaign. My campaign has always been high level - we'll take the high road and...we'll see what happens."
