Nova Scotia byelection campaigns enter final week

With a week to go before voting day in three Nova Scotia byelections, the fight appears to be primarily between the Liberals and the NDP.

The Official Opposition Progressive Conservatives are hoping for, at best, a second place finish in one of the three races.

That's not the official line, but even PC Party president Janet Fryday Dorey isn't talking about a win when asked what her party is hoping for in the July 14 results.

"I expect that our three campaigns will have run very effective campaigns and we'll have connected with lots of voters in all the ridings," she said.

Hopes are higher among Nova Scotia New Democrats.

They held two of the three seats up for grabs, Cape Breton Centre and Sydney-Whitney Pier. Both have had NDP representation for at least the last dozen years.

New Democrat Marian Mancini is fighting to win the seat Liberal Allan Rowe held until his sudden death last March. She says many in Dartmouth South are unhappy with the direction provided by the premier.

"I keep calling it Stephen McNeil's report cards," she said. "I'm saying that on the doorsteps to people, if you're not happy with this situation there is a way to send him a message."

She says sending her to Province House will tell the Liberals they are on the wrong path.

"They're not Liberals. They're neo-conservatives to me," Mancini said.

Liberal push

That's not the way the Liberals are framing these byelections.

"I'm not hearing it as a report card, mid-term judgement on the Liberals," said Derek Mombourquette.

The former councillor with the Cape Breton Regional Municipality is hoping to win the Sydney-Whitney Pier seat he didn't score in 2013. He finished that race with a respectable second place showing, earning 44 percent of the vote. Gordie Gosse, the sitting New Democrat, won with 49 percent support.

Mombourquette has heard plenty about Gosse while campaigning.

"People tell me, they say you've got extremely large shoes to fill if you're successful," he said.

Mombourquette doesn't see running under the Liberal banner in this election as a liability now that the party is in power.

"I don't see any downside in being in government at all."