Health care a major concern in Argyle-Barrington byelection

As Charlene LeBlanc campaigns to be the next MLA for Argyle-Barrington, she repeatedly hears concerns from people about accessing family doctors and long waits in emergency departments.

But LeBlanc, who is representing the Liberals, said the conversations are no more strained because she's representing the party that's governed Nova Scotia since 2013.

"The mess is not the problem of just one party — it's been coming," she said.

"We're not the only one facing this."

LeBlanc, who is on leave from her job as the community development officer for the Municipality of the District of Argyle, said she sees the transition to public life as a natural extension of the work she already does with businesses, volunteer groups and members of the community.\

She's hoping to find ways to expand the potential of fishing and aquaculture to create jobs, she said.

"I thought, 'This will be a bigger chance for me to help people,'" she said.

Colton LeBlanc, likewise, is hoping to translate his work experience into a way to help his community at Province House.

LeBlanc — no relation to Charlene — is the 27-year-old paramedic running for the Progressive Conservatives. He said that experience has shown him first-hand about the strains facing the health-care system, particularly when it comes to emergency department closures at the neighbouring Roseway Hospital in Shelburne.

When Chris d'Entremont stepped down after 16 years as an MLA to run in the upcoming federal election, LeBlanc said he jumped at the chance to seek his party's nomination. The Tories have long held this seat and LeBlanc said he sees no reason for that to change now, even if it would mean a place at the government table.

"I'm not too convinced that having a Liberal MLA for Argyle-Barrington is going to change anything," he said on a break from campaigning with former area MLA Neil LeBlanc — also of no relation.

"If [the government] really want to act on our issues in southwestern Nova Scotia, they have the power to do it."

Another key issue for LeBlanc is creating an environment that encourages more young people to move home to re-establish roots.

Robin Smith is the kind of person he's talking about.

'Looking for any chance to get back'

The 29-year-old Cape Sable Island native works in Halifax as a business consultant for an online marketing company, but Smith, who is representing the NDP in this byelection, hopes he can get a more permanent trip home with a win Tuesday.

Since leaving for university, he's been unable to find a job that would get him back to his old stomping grounds.

"I think everyone in Barrington either has someone related to them or knows someone that has had to move out [for work] and I'm just one of those that is looking for any chance to get back," he said.

Campaigning has been a challenge, given that he hasn't been able to take a leave from his job the way his Tory and Liberal challengers have, and trips to the the district have been limited. But Smith said he's been working the phones and social media to communicate with people and issues related to health care and the fishery stand out in what he's hearing.

Smith believes a collaborative emergency centre — a concept the former NDP government deployed in communities plagued by closures but discontinued by the Liberals — could be a solution to what's happening at Roseway.

He'd also like to see more government support and programs in place for fishermen in times of industry downtown and he thinks there needs to be more attention paid to workers' rights and job protection for people working at fish plants, where work can often be precarious and inconsistent.

"Everyone needs [help] when they're down and having a bad time," he said.

'This is a party that can win'

Adam Randall, meanwhile, is hoping his campaign can pave the way for bigger things.

Representing the Green Party, Randall, a 36-year-old roofer who operates his own company, said his goal is to pull seven per cent of the vote and get people in the area to start thinking seriously about the party ahead of the next general election in two years.

"It will give people faith in it and they'll say, 'Hey, this is a party that can win,'" said Randall.

Randall said he's feeling positive about the area, but thinks there's room for improvement when it comes to developing more renewable energy projects, something that would be good for both the economy and environment, he said.

"There's lots of jobs in the green economy and I think that's something that's overlooked," he said.

Not much ferry talk

If there's one issue that hasn't been much of a factor in the byelection, it's the Yarmouth ferry, which is docked in the next-door riding of Yarmouth. Candidates say they know the service not operating is a problem for people, although they said they haven't been hearing much about it.

Where it was a factor was in Charlene LeBlanc's candidacy. She originally planned to run for the Tories but switched to the Liberals over concerns about the Progressive Conservatives' support for the boat. Colton LeBlanc said both he and Tory Leader Tim Houston support the service.

Tuesday's byelection is one of three happening in the province that day. Voters in the districts of Northside-Westmount and Sydney River-Mira-Louisbourg will also elect new MLAs that day.