MLA Chuck Porter is joining the Nova Scotia Liberal Party, after sitting as an independent MLA since June 2014.
Porter left the Progressive Conservatives after a dispute with the party and Leader Jamie Baillie. The party says Porter wasn’t communicating with them and was missing caucus and committee meetings, however, Porter says he had health issues at the time that led him to miss some meetings.
Porter, the MLA for Hants West, was introduced to the Liberal party by Premier Stephen McNeil on Wednesday morning.
Welcoming Porter to the Liberal party shows the “confidence” he has in Porter, McNeil said. However, there’s no guarantee the newly minted Liberal will win the Liberal riding nomination for the next election.
“He will fight a nomination meeting, it is not a sure thing,” McNeil said Wednesday.
No guarantee in next election
Since he left the Progressive Conservatives, Porter says he’s been asked daily when he will join the Liberals, but he also acknowledged that not everyone will be happy with his decision.
“In the next election there’s no guarantee that I will win. We take nothing for granted, we accept what comes with the decisions that I make,” Porter said.
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The move comes just weeks after McNeil was in Porter’s riding to announce $3 million in funding for a hockey heritage centre in Windsor, N.S.
Porter said the cash injection had no bearing on his decision to join the Liberals. He said its been in the works for 20 years, and he and Windsor Mayor Paul Beazley have been trying to jump start the project since the 2013 election.
Asked whether there was a quid pro quo for the Liberals with Porter joining the team, McNeil said the decision was routed in his good working relationship with Porter.
“Governing is not easy. When you have good people who are elected and you get an opportunity to have them join your team, you do that,” McNeil said.
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