Conservatives bring in adviser to challenge Casey

The federal Conservatives are bringing in a political adviser to run against Conservative-turned-Independent Bill Casey in northern Nova Scotia.

Joel Bernard, from New Brunswick, works for the minister of public safety in Ottawa. He served one term in the New Brunswick legislative assembly, and made two unsuccessful runs at federal politics in 2004 in New Brunswick and 2006 in Ontario.

Casey is running for his fifth straight term in Cumberland-Colchester-Musquodoboit Valley.

He was kicked out of the Conservative caucus last year after voting against a budget bill he said denied Nova Scotia promised offshore revenues and equalization payments from Ottawa.

Casey took about 50 per cent of the vote in 2006 and has the support of many members of the Conservative riding association. The Green party is not running a candidate against him.

Bernard is one of four candidates in Nova Scotia handpicked by federal Conservatives, a move that bypasses the usual local nomination route.