N.S. MLA Chris d’Entremont wins federal Tory nomination

Longtime Nova Scotia PC MLA Chris d’Entremont has won the federal nomination as the Conservative Party candidate for the riding of West Nova.

d’Entremont has been the MLA for the provincial seat of Argyle-Barrington for 15 years and has served in cabinet in various positions, as well as Opposition house leader.

He announced back in November that he would be running for federal office.

READ MORE: Longtime Nova Scotia MLA says he plans to run for federal office

d’Entremont, along with three other MLAs also hoping to run in the federal election, were criticized by Premier Stephen McNeil earlier this month for planning to keep their jobs during the campaign.

McNeil stated it “makes absolutely no sense” that the four MLAs “continue to increase their pensions, continue to take taxpayers money, as they campaign for another federal taxpayer’s job.”

But d’Entremont says there’s nothing in the House of Assembly Act that indicates that he shouldn’t sit as an MLA during the campaign.

“It’s pretty straightforward that we’re able to sit until the writ is dropped,” d’Entremont said. “I plan on staying on so we get a few more projects done.”

READ MORE: Prominent N.S. Tories considering federal bids, buoyed by Liberal troubles

Eddie Orrell, the Tory member for Northside-Westmount, along with Alfie MacLeod, the member for Sydney River-Mira-Louisbourg, also plan to run in the federal election.

NDP MLA Lenore Zann also announced she was going to sit as an independent and would seek the federal Liberal nomination in Cumberland-Colchester.

West Nova is currently held by Liberal MP Colin Fraser. He has announced he will not be reoffering.

With files from Alexander Quon.