Tory leadership hazy in the lazy days

It’s time for “Fun with Tories,” and while the name of the game holds little promise, Nova Scotians have five months to endure it or ignore it depending on their pain threshold, so why not embrace it and find entertainment where we can.

The five contestants for the big prize – the Nova Scotia Progressive Conservative leadership and a shot at the premier’s job – appeared together last week in Middleton at a question-response forum erroneously billed as a debate. I’d like to report that it was a spirted and inspirational evening but dozed off during the opening statements, so can’t say for sure.

Fortuitously or otherwise, the thing was captured for replay on Facebook, but we all know you can’t believe a thing you see To submit an item for the community calendar, e-mail news@ngnews.ca or drop it off at The News, 352 East River Road, New Glasgow.

WEEKLY EVENTS Wednesdays

• New Glasgow 50-Plus Club – Bowling, chair exercises 10 a.m. Auction 45’s 1:30 p.m.

• Men’s Darts, Crib – Stellarton Legion 7:30 p.m., everyone welcome.

• Temporary Shelter – First Baptist Church on East River Road in New Glasgow. Opens at 10 p.m. for people who are homeless. Volunteers to assist are asked to contact Ellen Margeson at 902-923-2307 or by emailing ellemarge@seasidehighspeed.com.

• Meat Darts – Pictou legion 6:30 p.m. All welcome.

• 45s for Members – New Glasgow 55+ Club, 1:30 p.m., New Glasgow Fire Hall.

• Karate – Juniors 6:40-7:40 p.m., adults 6:40-9 p.m. at the New Glasgow Fire Hall. For more info email rfraser1@eastlink.ca

• Crib Game – Stellarton legion, 7:30 p.m. there, so in the clear light of a day later, I viewed the event with due skepticism, a posture reinforced by the candidates’ remarks.

It’s early in this marathon that ends just in time for Hallowe’en, when one of the five will masquerade as the premierin-waiting, but already two frontrunners seem to have emerged. That’s a less valuable spot than it may appear.

The leadership won’t be decided by first ballot support, barring an unlikely and uncharacteristic Conservative melding of minds that coalesces electors behind one of the five. Rather, the leadership will be won by the man or woman who can attract support without alienating the supporters of opponents.

Most votes will be cast by preferential ballot – ranking choices from first to worst – so the candidate who can garner the most first, second and possibly third place votes will emerge victorious.

Traditionalists and Tories confused over the meaning of “party” will attend a leadership convention where they will vote after the

• Community Cupboard – Maranatha Bible Church, 196 Munroe Ave., 2-4 p.m.

• Pure Meditation Foundation with Mindfulness – Helps with anxiety, sleep problems, lack of energy, depression and more. Call East River Meditation Healing Centre for details/to register 902 755 HEAL/4325

• Preschool Story Time – Pictou library, 10:30 a.m. Children must be 3.

• Club Français – Stellarton library, 1st Wednesday of month, noon. Practise your French in a friendly atmosphere.

• TOPS – Meets at Pharmacy First, 266 Foord St., 9:30-11:30 a.m. New members welcome. Call 902-9232368.

• Preschool Storytime – River John Library 9:30-10:30 a.m. (ages 3-5 years) To register call 902- 351-2599.

• Pictou County Brass & Reed Band – Looking for new members. Rehearsals Wednesdays 7-8:30 p.m. in the Stellarton Community Centre, 122 Leo Fahey Way. Contact David Prince, Conductor 902-928-0364

DAILY EVENTS May 29

• Women Together – Pictou County Women’s Resource Centre 10-11:30 a.m. All about Service Canada.

• Gamers Drop-in – New Glasgow library 3:30-4:30 p.m. Ages 8-12. announced results of each ballot. If the thing is close, the dynamics at the convention could decide the winner. But that’s a summer away and too much to hope for.

The top two candidates are Pictou East MLA Tim Houston, the effective opposition point-man on the public accounts committee, and Sydney Mayor Cecil Clarke, who served a decade in the legislature and sat in the cabinets of John Hamm and Rodney MacDonald.

Houston is taking the incoming flack invariably aimed at the perceived pace-setter, and his camp and Clarke’s have already had a good little on-line dust-up, each accusing the other of travelling the low road.

Their head-to-head butting shapes up as a fight to watch for its potential to degenerate into the internecine viciousness peculiar to a party leadership contests. Smart pols in the other camps – there are a few – will fan the flames of animosity because an ugly battle at the top can erode down-ballot support and open the door to a consensus second-choice.

May 30

• Lions Club Charity BBQ – In support of the Robsons who lost their house to fire, 266 Foord St., Stellarton (Pharmacy First Parking Lot) 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Rain date May 31.

• Music Circle Café Jam – West Branch Hall 6-9:30 p.m. Admission for players is free, listeners free will, $2.50 suggested. Light refreshments. Proceeds: Community Hall. Shared sweets!

• Learner Recognition Night – For PiCCoLA Adult Learners (Pictou County Continuous Learning Association) 6-8 p.m., Community Room of New Glasgow library. Refreshments after presentations. All are welcome.

May 31

• NFB Film Club – As the Crow Flies, River John library 6:15 p.m. Follows

Elizabeth Smith-McCrossin, John Lohr or Julie Chaisson – in that order of likelihood – would walk through that door.

Cumberland North’s SmithMcCrossin looked like a top-tier candidate until, during debate in the legislature, she fell through the looking glass and into a Rastafarian fantasy about potidled Jamaicans. She suggested Jamaicans lack initiative because they smoke too much weed and fumbled her first best chance to apologize by saying she was sorry if the remarks offended anyone. If?

Subsequent mea máxima culpa acknowledgement that her statement was rooted in ignorance spared her a racist taint, but the damage to her leadership aspirations was done. She needs to convince Tories her cultural unconsciousness was a one-time coma and dispel doubts of Tories unlikely to risk an accident-prone leader when they’re a handful of seats from the government side of the House.

Valley farmer and Kings North MLA John Lohr has a vote-jarring habit of saying what he believes

a group of Royal Canadian Air Cadets at an elite flight-training camp.

• MayDay – Forum 7 p.m. at Trinity United Church, New Glasgow, to inform the public about mental health and addication support available in Pictou County.

• Soup and Dessert – St Bee’s Anglican Helping Hands, Westville, 11:15 a.m.-1 p.m. Cost $8.

• Bridgeville Cemetery Association – Annual meeting 7:30 p.m. in the Community Hall.

• Sunny Brae Cemetery – Annual meeting at Calvin Presbyterian Church 7 p.m. Everyone welcome.

• Grief Share meetings – Christ Anglican Church, 50 Bridge Ave., Stellarton, 6:30 p.m. There are various losses in life, a loss of a job, a loved one, a pet, or having an empty nest. There are many types of grief and let this be a time of healing, with no room for ambiguity and sometimes no relationship to the matter-at-hand. He voiced his support for fracking when the subject was nursing homes, and to the question: “Do you favour privatization of the Nova Scotia Liquor Corporation?” Lohr replied “yes” after his four opponents offered dissertations about craft beer, local wine and gift baskets.

Julie Chaisson’s problem is her 2017 third-place finish in Chester St. Margaret’s, but as the only candidate within an hour’s drive of Province House, she could survive into later ballots with a critical mass of support in voterich Halifax County.

The race will remain hazy through the lazy days of Nova Scotia’s glorious summer, but the winner is next in line for the throne attached to the premier’s office, so it’s worth keeping an eye on.

Jim Vibert, a journalist and writer for longer than he cares to admit, consulted or worked for five Nova Scotia governments. He now keeps a close and critical eye on provincial and regional powers.

sharing, and listening. Everyone welcome, free of charge.

June 2

• Annual Fishing Derby – Hosted by Blue Mountain & District Volunteer Fire Department at Garden of Eden Lake, registration located on Siding Road in Eden Lake. Nova Scotia Sport Fishing Weekend sanctioned event – fishing licence not necessary but standard regulations apply. Annual fundraising event, all participants welcome. Great prizes, food, and of course fishing!

• Mom to Mom Sale – New Glasgow Academy (93 Albert St.) 1-3 p.m. Seller tables $18 each or 2/$35. Admission $2 per person. Fundraiser for Pictou County Babies to Boosters. If you are interested in selling your gently used children’s clothing, toys and baby gear, please contact us at pcmomtomom@gmail.com