‘He’s a fine man’
NDP’s Dr. Herb Dickieson kicks off official campaign for Egmont in Summerside
The next federal election is still four months away, but the NDP candidate for Egmont is already off and running.
Dr. Herb Dickieson officially launched his election campaign in Summerside on Thursday, speaking to a crowd of about 30 supporters at the Loyalist Lakeview Resort.
Dickieson spoke at length about his hopes for the campaign, his disappointment with the current Conservative administration, and his gratitude for the support he’s personally received to date.
“I think there’s a very positive alternative with Tom Mulcair and the New Democrats, and he’s made it clear that he wants representation from Prince Edward Island in his government, and we’re doing our best to oblige him,” said Dickieson.
A family physician by profession, Dickieson is the only person to have ever won a seat in the provincial legislature under the NDP banner, having represented the district of West PointBloomfield from 1996 to 2000.
He was also the first candidate to announced his intention to run in Egmont. He was uncontested in his party’s nomination race in October, 2014.
Dickieson was followed by Liberal candidate Robert Morrissey and incumbent Conservative candidate Gail Shea.
That punctuality was no mistake, said Dickieson.
“We’re way out ahead of the game, there’s been a whole lot of work that’s been done behind the scenes, a lot of meetings, organizing and meetings. But we’re right on schedule,” he said.
“It’s all coming together in a great way, we’re not going to let up, we’re not going to rest until the job is done.”
One person who appreciated the message was Michael Desroches of West Point.
“This country really needs a change, we’ve seen so many of our national agencies start to deteriorate under the Harper government and we definitely need to elect somebody who is going to rebuild it.
“Herb has some experience in politics, he’s a fine man, a hard working man and his heart is in the right place, where I know he’ll do the best he can for the people he represents,” said Desroches.
Dickieson also announced he had secured the endorsements of former Progressive Conservative MP ( for the former riding of Prince and then Egmont) David MacDonald, and Denis Marantz, who spent a long career in the federal foreign service, working on numerous international issues.
MacDonald said Dickieson is a unique example of an NDP politician from P.E.I. with some experience and would make a fine choice to represent the people of the Island.
“It’s pretty tough for anybody from the NDP in this province to, first of all, become well known, and secondly to gain any legislative experience. But Herb already has got the legislative experience … all it takes now is lots of people to get out there,” said MacDonald.