Phillips seeks PC Party nomination
TRURO, N.S. - A second candidate has announced intentions to seek the Conservative Party nomination for Cumberland-colchester in the next, as-yet uncalled, federal election.
Truro native David Phillips, the current Business Development officer for the Truro Colchester Partnership for Economic Prosperity and a former Microsoft executive announced his intentions in a press release on Wednesday.
“I was one of the many who had to leave my home community to pursue a career, buy a home and raise a family. I’m happy to be home, working to build a community in which my kids and others of their generation can stay and build a good life,” he said.
Phillips described himself as a lifelong Conservative who names former Nova Scotia premiers Robert Stanfield and G.I. Smith as his political heroes and said an elected official’s “top priority” should be to serve their constituents.
“I believe strongly that the first job of an effective MP is to put constituents first, understand their priorities, and advocate for them tirelessly in Ottawa,” he said.
Veteran Colchester County Councillor Tom Taggart, also a self-described lifelong Conservative, announced earlier this week that he would be seeking the Conservative nomination, after previous party representative and former MP Scott Armstrong said he would not be offering in the next election.
Although a date for the next federal election has not been set, there is wide speculation that one could be called within a year.
Armstrong said his decision is based on timing and he wanted to let other potential candidates know as soon as possible that he would not be running. As principal at South Colchester Academy in Brookfield, Armstrong said he would not have sufficient time to campaign should the election happen in the coming months.
The riding is currently held by Liberal Lenore Zann.
Phillips said better cooperation on healthcare, greater support for small business and job creation, revitalizing the agriculture and agri-business sector, better policing in rural areas, and accelerating the COVID-19 vaccine program would be his priorities if he were to win the party nod for the riding.
“After many years of success in business and a lifetime of political involvement, I am confident that I’m qualified to be an effective Member of Parliament”, he said.
Phillips served as Parliamentary Assistant to former Bill Casey in 1990-91 and worked in the Halifax business community for nearly a decade, along with holding senior international management positions at Microsoft and LVMH Group in Toronto and Paris. He returned to Nova Scotia in 2012 and became vice-president of Acadian Seaplants.