Your Candidates...

Original Posting from: http://dsu-vped.blogspot.com


On Friday morning the CPC announced their candidate for the riding of Halifax. They were the final major national party to announce their candidate for this riding. So, I've done my worst and snooped around to find out as much as I can about your choices. Thank me later. In alphabetical order, by party name, here you are:


Conservative Party of Canada: Ted Larsen

Occupation: Small Business Owner

Facebook Supporters: 103

Website: http://www.tedlarsen.ca/

Ted's facebook page says he is a single parent of three, former advisor to the premier (it doesn't say which premier, but I'm assuming Hamm). There's not alot of info out yet, his website isn't up yet, and his FB supporters seem to be mix of people from Halifax and a smattering of Conservative supporters from across the country including some other candidates.

Green Party of Canada: Darryl Whetter

Occupation: Writer, Dalhousie Professor

Facebook Supporters: 26

Website: http://darrylwhetter.greenparty.ca/

Whetter recently announced he would be a candidate in Halifax when he removed his name from the ballot in Cumberland-Colchestor Musquidoboit Valley, the riding currently held by Conservative Party Outcast Bill Casey. The Greens then said that Casey would not be opposed, as he was already an "honorary green". Whetter gets props for keeping a regularly updated blog since the campaign began. Unfortunately, there hasn't been much evidence of a strong campaign from his end yet, but I am waiting to be proven wrong.

New Democratic Party of Canada: Megan Leslie

Occupation: Community Lawyer

Facebook Supporters: 192

Website: http://www.meganleslie.ca/

Given Halifax's strong dipper tendencies, it is not surprising that Ms. Leslie faced a tough race to secure her nomination as the NDP candidate. Leslie has been in Halifax for a while, taught at Dal, worked in the community and has established a strong network of supporters on her own. The NDP had 1041 members in Halifax as of last monday. Leslie inherets a strong campaign team from Alexa and the FIVE provincial ridings held by the NDP within the HRM. There was a lot of talk at her nomination meeting about electing the candidate who can keep this riding NDP. A tad too partisan for my likings, and I'm looking to the other candidates to make sure she doesn't get a free ride.

Liberal Party of Canada: Catherine Meade

Occupation: Will, Estate and Property Lawyer

Facebook Supporters:12

Website: http://meade4halifax.com/

Meade has sought the grit nomination before, to no avail. She even forgot to take down her last campaign website and fooled some local journalists into going to the wrong spot for this years nomination meeting. She's been active in the Rainbow Action Project, has a plethora of post secondary education and seems to have a resume full of community involvement. I'm looking forward to hearing more information on this candidate, as with Mr. Larsen.