Nova Scotia election riding results: Argyle

Progressive Conservative MLA Colton LeBlanc has been re-elected for the largely Acadian riding of Argyle.

In 2019, the district was reinstated after it was eliminated among several others in 2012 when the former NDP government said there were too few voters in each. LeBlanc was first elected as MLA or what was then known as Argyle-Barrington in a by-election in 2019, when PC MLA Chris d’Entremont resigned.

Riding background

The riding includes several small coastal communities such as Wedgeport, Argyle and Pubnico.

Argyle has a large Acadian population. It is a rural riding with fishing, manufacturing, and the service sector as its main industries.

Candidates

Liberal:  Nick d’Entremont

• Completed his first year at Dalhousie University, where he’s pursuing a bachelor’s degree in political science
• Worked in tourism and is an advocate for encouraging more young people to get involved in politics

Progressive Conservative: Colton LeBlanc (incumbent)

• First elected as MLA for what was then known as Argyle-Barrington in a by-election in 2019, when PC MLA Chris d’Entremont resigned
• Before becoming an MLA he was a paramedic

NDP:  Robin Smith

• Works for an online marketing company that’s focused on small businesses
• Recently bought a historic house with the goal of creating affordable rental options in Argyle

Green: Corey Clamp

• Grew up in the Acadian village of Sluice Point
• Worked for the federal government as a foreign service officer, working in Ottawa, Western Africa, India, and Vietnam
• Volunteered for various housing and environmental organizations within HRM and Yarmouth Co.

History

The largely Acadian riding of Argyle was reinstated in 2019.

The district was one of several eliminated in 2012 when the former NDP government said there were too few voters in each.

A successful court challenge by the province’s Acadian community led to a report by an independent electoral boundaries commission. The changes increased the number of provincial electoral districts from 51 to 55.