Pictou Landing Chief Andrea Paul seeking Liberal nomination for Pictou East
The seat is currently occupied by PC Leader Tim Houston
Pictou Landing First Nation Chief Andrea Paul will seek the Liberal nomination in her riding of Pictou East in the upcoming Nova Scotia election, a decision she said she did not make lightly.
Paul has been considering throwing her hat in the ring for the past few years. She submitted her application to the Liberal Party this week after having conversations with her family and elders in her community.
"We're in an era now where First Nations people need a place in government, and I'm willing to take that risk in terms of putting myself out there," she told CBC News on Tuesday evening.
Paul said she's always been passionate about relationships and government, First Nations and otherwise, and there are relationships that "need to continue to be fostered."
"There's some work there that needs to happen, and I feel like I'm the person for the job," she said.
The seat in Pictou East is currently held by Progressive Conservative Leader Tim Houston. Paul said she likes Houston and has worked with him in the past, and she expects her announcement will be "quite a shock" to him.
Paul said she doesn't know yet if anyone else is seeking the Liberal nomination in her riding.
Nova Scotia does not have fixed election dates. The current Liberal mandate runs out in May 2022, meaning an election is almost certain to happen this year.