Nomination pressure off local Tories in Casey's riding
Conservative party leaders in MP Bill Casey's riding are breathing a sigh of relief now that party headquarters has taken over the task of choosing a candidate.
The party has cancelled nomination meetings in four Nova Scotia ridings, including Cumberland-Colchester-Musquodoboit Valley.
"That takes a lot of pressure off our local association," said Scott Armstrong, president of the Conservative riding association.
Armstrong and other members of the executive support Casey, the longtime Conservative who was kicked out of the caucus last year after a disagreement over the offshore accord.
Casey, who has been sitting as an Independent, plans to fight for his seat in the next federal election. The national Conservative party has made it clear it doesn't want Casey, though the renegade MP says he isn't interested anyway.
Armstrong is coy about his plans, but admits he may have to step down as riding association president if he joins the Casey re-election team.
"As far as making it public, that's something I'm going to hold out till the last minute," he said. "I believe in lost causes."
Local Tories continue to support Casey
If the Conservatives find someone willing to take on Casey, they may have to find a new campaign team.
"I think I'll have almost all of the former party executives working for me, and I'm amazed at that, but on the other hand they think I did the right thing," Casey said.
Casey, 63, stands by his decision to vote against the federal budget in June 2007, arguing it didn't allow Nova Scotia to fully benefit from offshore oil and gas revenues without losing equalization payments.
Last fall, the Conservative riding association reaffirmed its support for Casey.
Besides Cumberland-Colchester-Musquodoboit Valley, Conservative headquarters has taken over the search for candidates in the Halifax, Dartmouth-Cole Harbour and Kings-Hants ridings.
This is "unprecedented," Casey said, scoffing at the suggestion by Conservatives that this is a way to streamline the process ahead of an expected election call Friday or Saturday.
"If Mr. Harper wants to, he can just take the time and have the communities nominate good candidates to run for the party," he said. "It's not legitimate for them to say they don't have the time. It's not anyone else calling the election except Mr. Harper."
It appears the Conservatives are having trouble finding people to run for the party in Nova Scotia, Casey added.
Casey has represented the northern Nova Scotia riding for four consecutive terms. He took more than 50 per cent of the vote in 2006.