‘It’s a turning point’: A record 4 Black MLAs victorious in N.S. election

The riding of Preston, which includes historically Black communities, has an African Nova Scotian woman elected to represent its voters following election day on Tuesday.

Angela Simmonds ran for the Liberal Party and won against two other Black candidates, PC Archy Beals and NDP candidate Colter Simmonds. It marked the first time In Nova Scotia’s history that all the candidates in one riding were Black.

Simmonds joins three other winning Black candidates: the Liberals’ Tony Ince in Cole Harbour, the NDP’s Suzy Hansen in Halifax Needham and the Liberals’ Ali Duale in Halifax Armdale.

Only five Black MLAs had ever been elected to Province House before the 2021 election.

“I’m overjoyed. I’m overwhelmed…. It’s like a turning moment,” said Simmonds, who was surrounded by her family at her home where she watched the results rolling in.

“My family has guided me in this whole election. And I ran a great campaign.”

The only Black MLA before election day was Ince.

The riding of Preston was new in this election. The district was abolished in 2012 and incorporated into the district of Preston-Dartmouth. But an independent electoral boundaries commission recommended the district be brought back.

The district includes the communities of North Preston, East Preston, Cherry Brook, Lake Echo, Mineville, and parts of Dartmouth and Westphal.

Simmonds said her win is a “momentous time” for women in general.

“I was the one woman running against two men. And so I’m thankful … for the women on my leadership team and, most importantly, for the men who picked me up and supported the women and let them lead,” said Simmonds.

1:42 Removing systemic barriers in education for African and Indigenous students

To be able to represent the oldest and biggest Black community in Canada, Simmonds said, she has “mixed emotions” because the riding has brought in a lot of different emotions from people.

“I really think what’s important that we do now is to build some unity. That a protected riding, because three Black people are running doesn’t mean we have to divide, and what we actually need to now is to start thinking collectively about what to do instead to bridge this,” Simmonds said.