Nova Scotia Election: Annapolis candidates

Quick take: Liberal Leader Stephen McNeil has held the riding since 2003 — it is a Liberal stronghold.

READ MORE: All our Nova Scotia Election 2017 coverage

Candidates

Liberal: McNeil has been premier since 2013 and Liberal leader since 2009. As premier he also held the aboriginal affairs and intergovernmental affairs files. Prior to being elected he was a small business owner. As premier, McNeil sparked protests outside Province House for controversial moves like axing the film and TV tax credit, legislating a contract on teachers, and passing public service wage legislation. He maintained the policies were necessary to balance the provincial budget — which his government did two years in a row. McNeil’s formal nomination for the riding will be held during the election.

Progressive Conservative: Ginny Hurlock is a small business owner and a British expatriate. She ran in the riding for the Tories in the 2013 election.

NDP: Colin Sproul is a fisherman and spokesperson for the Bay of Fundy Inshore Fisher’s Association. The association has been a vocal opponent to the Cape Sharp tidal turbine project.

Green: Zac Crockatt is a Canadian veteran who retired after 11 years of service. He is currently a carpenter by trade. 

Atlantica Party: Kent Robinson is the Atlantica Party candidate in this riding.

Riding background

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History: McNeil won the riding with 75.8 per cent of the vote in the last election. Other than electing a Progressive Conservative MLA in 1999, the riding has been a Liberal stronghold since the 1980s.

Boundaries: The riding covers most of Annapolis County and includes the towns of Annapolis Royal, Bridgetown, and Middleton. The riding also holds the Port-Royal National Historic Site — one of the first European settlements in North America.

Demographics: The riding covers a large rural area of Nova Scotia. Its industries include agriculture, forestry, fisheries, and tourism.