Nova Scotia PCs secure supermajority government with re-election win
Aly Thomson | CBC News | Posted: November 27, 2024 12:02 AM | Last Updated: November 29
Premier Tim Houston called a snap election last month, defying his government's own fixed election law
Nova Scotia voters handed Tim Houston's Progressive Conservatives a supermajority government in Tuesday's provincial election, a formidable outcome aided in part by the stunning collapse of Liberal support.
Houston wore a wide smile as he waded through a packed room of supporters at a community centre near his riding of Pictou East — where he was re-elected — with John Fogerty's Centerfield blasting in the background.
As he took the podium, Houston described being premier "the greatest honour of my life."
He spoke about the many doorsteps Progressive Conservative candidates visited during the election campaign.
"We shared a message with them — a message of positivity and potential," said Houston, flanked by his wife and two children.
"Tonight they have sent us a message, and I received that message loud and clear. Their message is very simple: keep going."
Houston and the Tories were elected in 43 ridings, Elections Nova Scotia announced at 5:35 p.m. AT Wednesday. The New Democrats were elected in nine ridings, while the Liberals were elected in two.
Although it appeared as if a blue wave was washing over the province, it's important to note that many Nova Scotians didn't even bother to vote.
Voter turnout in this election hit an all-time low, with only 45 per cent of the electorate casting a ballot, according to unofficial results from Elections Nova Scotia.
What is a supermajority?
In Nova Scotia, a supermajority holds two-thirds of the seats. Under the current makeup of the House of Assembly, that means 38 out of 55.
Two-thirds is also the support required to change the procedural rules of the House, so with a supermajority, the government doesn't need the co-operation of opposition parties to change those rules.
While Tuesday's big win was bestowed upon the Progressive Conservatives, the NDP also made notable gains.
The party has remained in third place since falling from power in the 2013 provincial election, but launched into second place on Tuesday, becoming the Official Opposition.
And with that, NDP Leader Claudia Chender is slated to become the first elected female leader of the Opposition.
Speaking to boisterous supporters at a hotel banquet room in Halifax, Chender said the winds of change are blowing in the province.
"Our vision for a different kind of government has struck a nerve," she said. "The Nova Scotia NDP is on the rise."
Meanwhile, the Liberals suffered devastating losses, losing grip on the bulk of the 16 seats they secured during the last election and falling into third place.
The party's leader Zach Churchill lost his own seat in Yarmouth in a tight race with Progressive Conservative Nick Hilton.
In a speech Tuesday evening from Yarmouth, Churchill conceded his party's defeat, saying the loss rests squarely on his shoulders.
"Loss is a part of life," said Churchill, saying he will be taking some time to discuss his future. "In life, you can lose, and the most important thing is you get back up, and how you get back up."
Independent Elizabeth Smith-McCrossin was re-elected in the riding of Cumberland North, becoming the first Independent politician to win back-to-back elections.
The PC majority is not a surprise. Polls leading up to election day suggested the Tories were far ahead of the NDP and the Liberals.
The results were delayed by one hour on Tuesday evening because one polling station was open later than the rest, since it was late opening Tuesday morning. But the vote count at all other polls started during that hour.
In combination with the province's new e-balloting system, which used electronic tablets for early voting, that meant results poured in quickly once the final poll closed. Within about seven minutes, it was known the Progressive Conservatives would form a majority.
WATCH | Claudia Chender speaks to NDP supporters on election night
Houston called the snap election on Oct. 27, ignoring his government's own election law, which had set Nova Scotia's very first fixed election date of July 15, 2025.
Some analysts have said the early election call was to capitalize on the unpopularity of the Trudeau government.
But Houston contended it was to secure a second mandate to continue his party's plans to tackle the major societal issues affecting Nova Scotians, like affordability and housing.
In 2021, his party campaigned and rose to power on a central promise: fixing health care.
This time around, Houston touted his government's accomplishments in that sector to date, including hiring more doctors, and made his case for getting more time to improve the system.
Those three topics — affordability, housing and health care — were indeed pushed by all three main political parties as their top priorities, with some even making similar campaign promises.
WATCH | Zach Churchill speaks to Liberal supporters in Yarmouth, N.S.
Experts have said that left voters the challenge of differentiating between the parties and their platforms.
Analysts have also spoken about election fatigue, as voters across the province just went to the polls in October for the municipal elections.
As well, Elections Nova Scotia decided not to issue voter information cards during this provincial election due to the threat of a Canada Post strike that began Nov. 15.
Houston has made a number of clear-cut pledges, including cutting the HST to 14 per cent from 15 per cent, making parking at hospitals free and removing the toll from the Halifax bridges.
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