Meet the party faithful
What does it mean to be Liberal, Tory, NDP?
Liberal, Tory or NDP?
With campaign literature and signs popping up on lawns throughout the region, Kingscountynews.ca checked in with party faithful from the three dominant camps to see what it means to be a tried, tested and true supporter. Here’s what they had to say.
Dave Davies, Progressive Conservative
Dave Davies of Kentville has been a Progressive Conservative supporter since he was old enough to vote. He’s worked on provincial and federal campaigns on an executive level over the years.
“Leadership at the top and representation is the core of my thinking when looking at a candidate and will they carry through on their promises,” Davies said.
“I have been fortunate to work with the people that have done just that.”
A self-identified fiscal conservative, Davies likes the party’s policies, which are “based on the everyday individual” and speak to a wide demographic.
Davies said the party has been able to attract strong candidates with great leadership qualities. He believes candidates are attracted by the values portrayed through the party’s policies, which are “reasonable and attainable.”
Good examples of this in Kings North in the past, he says, include George Archibald and Mark Parent, who were both entrusted with cabinet positions. He said current candidate and incumbent John Lohr exhibits the same qualities.
Steve Mattson, NDP
Steve Mattson comes by his belief in the NDP from his paternal grandparents, who farmed in Saskatchewan during the ‘Dirty 30s.’
It was the consequences of the Depression, he says, that convinced him and them that if everyone benefits, then the community as a whole benefits.
“The NDP represents that best if you consider old age pensions, social assistance and health care coverage,” he said.
As a teenager growing up in Sydney, the Wolfville resident heard former provincial NDP leader Jeremy Akerman on the radio and bought into the ideas he espoused. Mattson even helped organize a successful model Parliament where the NDP party formed the government.
While studying law at Dalhousie University, he became an active party member. For 35 years as a Legal Aid lawyer in Kentville, Mattson practised with the firm belief that all are equal before the courts.
“If anything, time intensified it. You’d see family members come in to post bail and it was intergenerational. I could see that a little money from the government could make a huge difference.”
Mattson ran twice in Kings South, in 1988 and again in 1993.
“Talking to people and being out in the community confirmed what I thought – that the function of government is to support the greatest number of people.”
Mattson, who has taken part in 28 campaigns, has seen NDP policies adopted by the other two major parties over the years, particularly the Liberal party. He calls Stephen Schneider a good candidate who will be an advocate for the people.
John Pierce, Liberal
Longtime Liberal party backer John Pierce links his political leanings to his upbringing.
“We were brought up (to believe) that we should be involved in community activities,” he said, citing volunteerism, community events, church and politics as ways to do this.
A faithful party member for 40 years, Pierce started to get more heavily involved in political work in the last 20 years. When his good friend Leo Glavine first ran for office in 2003, Pierce was the Kings West candidate’s campaign manager.
“I grew up in a Liberal family, but I certainly didn’t become involved to a major extent until Leo,” he said.
“It’s so easy to get involved with Leo; he’s certainly hard working.”
Pierce is now managing a fifth consecutive campaign for Glavine, who faces the new challenge of seeking re-election following a term as Nova Scotia’s Minister of Health and Wellness.
Pierce believes his unwavering commitment to the Liberal party comes down to values.
“I think that the Liberal tradition is one that… often the Liberal party is considered to be the party of the center. I think it certainly encompasses all of that. It’s certainly a party that’s open to people’s values and their thoughts.” follow us on Twitter @Kingsnsnews