Ward replies to ‘splitting the vote’ comment

SYDNEY — The second Mi'kmaw candidate to enter the race for the Sydney-victoria seat said he wants to see more Mi'kmaw representation at all levels of government – not less.

Jeff Ward of Membertou First Nation, who is running for the NDP, was responding to comments made earlier this week to CBC Cape Breton by Liberal incumbent Jaime Battiste regarding Ward's decision to run against him in the current federal election.

According to the online news story, Battiste was “shocked” when he heard Ward was running, saying, “If we split the Mi'kmaw vote and the Conservatives get in, he's going to have to explain to the Mi'kmaw nation why he decided that he wanted to be the Mi'kmaw MP as opposed to me.”

The Cape Breton Post's attempts to reach Battiste went unanswered.

Ward said the comments surprised him and he was disappointed to hear the Liberal candidate “use fear tactics in Mi'kmaw communities.”

“I'm not about dividing communities or dividing anything – I want to bring people together,” he said.

“It's not about answering to all of the Mi'kmaw nation, it's answering to the whole area, you have to answer to everyone. I'm not running to be a Mi'kmaw candidate, I'm running because I want to be a strong voice for Cape Breton in Ottawa,” Ward said.

Battiste's words did not sit well with Madison Joe, who shared the CBC story on social media, calling the comments “disgusting.”

“I think the comments he made are dangerous because it's kind of forcing (Mi'kmaw) to just follow one certain political ideology instead of aligning ourselves with the one we truly believe in, and that's not how elections work or how democracy works,” he said.

Joe said he has seen lawn signs for both Battiste and Ward in his own community of Membertou First Nation. Joe said his biggest concern is that Battiste's comments will discourage other Mi'kmaw people from entering politics.

“It just feels like he doesn't want anyone to run against him because we might lose what we have, and I don't agree with that. It doesn't have to be the one Mi'kmaw candidate – having two on the ballot is a step forward from one, but this feels as though it's going against that step.”

Battiste made history in 2019 when he was elected the first Mi'kmaw member of Parliament in Canada. The 42-year-old, originally from Potlotek First Nation but a long-time resident of Eskasoni First Nation, defeated the Conservative candidate Eddie Orrell in a tight race.

Battiste received 31 per cent of the votes, Orrell got 28 per cent, and NDP candidate Jodi Mcdavid got 20 per cent.

Orrell is re-offering this time around and said he, too, was dismayed at Battiste's comments.

“I have the greatest respect for anyone who puts their name on the ballot. It is a big decision that impacts your family life, your friends and your own personal community and work life. Mr. Ward has every right to put his name forward and let the voters decide who they want to represent them in Ottawa. There is no place in Sydney-victoria for these divisive comments," Orrell said in an email.

The riding of Sydneyvictoria, which runs from the top of Cape Breton Island and takes in the northernmost part of Inverness County, all of Victoria County, and the northwestern area of the Cape Breton Regional Municipality including the Sydneys, East Bay, and Grand Lake Road. There are three First Nation communities in the riding: Membertou, Eskasoni and Wagmatcook.

The riding has been a Liberal stronghold since 2000 when Mark Eyking was elected. Eyking held the seat for 19 years. Prior to that, Peter Mancini of the NDP represented the riding in Ottawa.

This time around, Mark Embrett of the Green Party, Ronald Barron of the People's Party of Canada and Marxistleninist Party of Canada candidate Nikki Boisvert will also be on the ballot for Sydneyvictoria.

Election day is Sept. 20.