INVERNESS: Smiles were abundant at the Judique Fire Hall Tuesday night as Allan MacMaster, celebrating with a few hundred supporters, was re-elected as MLA for the riding of Inverness.
“I’m thankful to the people of Inverness who’ve seen fit to elect me again,” the Progressive Conservative said. “I feel renewed after this campaign. I’ve been all over the county, gotten a lot of insights from people, and I’m ready to go forward.
“I have to say, this time things were more positive than the first times around. The first time, I only won by 55 votes.”
This election, which marks MacMaster’s third term as MLA, saw him claim 4,687 votes for a decisive victory over first-time Liberal candidate Bobby Morris, who took 2,347 votes, and NDP stalwart Michelle Smith, who took 538 votes. Those are unofficial numbers from Elections Nova Scotia.
All told, 7,572 valid votes were cast and 36 votes were rejected in a field of 11,213 electors. That made for a voter turnout of 67.85 per cent.
The election wasn’t the only big day for MacMaster in May, as he got married on May 13 to his bride Lucie Kralovec.
“This has been the busiest month of my life, but I feel I had a bounce in my step all the way through,” he said.
“The results tonight show that what I was feeling when I was out there, talking to people, was real. There was a lot of positivity on the campaign trail.”
Though managing a decisive win, MacMaster faced quality candidates from the Liberal and NDP camps.
Though it was his first time running, Morris is well-known in Inverness County. A Port Hood native, he is currently working as an economic development officer for the Cape Breton Partnership. Smith has been living in Cape Breton for over 30 years and operates a farm in Skye Glen. She has been active in establishing local farmers’ markets and working with youth and community groups.
MacMaster was first elected to the House of Assembly in October of 2009, the result of a by-election. In 2013, he was reelected when facing Jackie Rankin of the Liberals and Smith of the NDP.
MacMaster is perhaps best known for his support of the victims of sexual abuse, in specific as it relates to the allegations of sexual abuse attributed to Ernest Fenwick MacIntosh of Port Hawkesbury. MacMaster was also vocal in the fight for a CT Scanner at Inverness Consolidated Memorial Hospital and opposing the ‘Royal’ designation in the Gaelic College of Cape Breton.
Prior to becoming an elected official, MacMaster earned a business degree from StFX and worked as an investment advisor with BMO Nesbitt Burns.
In 2013’s election, Liberal Jackie Rankin gave MacMaster a run for his money. The Liberal managed to capture 3,248 votes, but MacMaster was a few paces ahead with 3,816 votes. Smith finished up with 678 votes. Voter turnout saw 7,812 votes cast from an elector list of 11,159. That was a percentage of 70 for the county.
MacMaster said he’s ready to work for the people of Inverness. Though his party may be in opposition, he feels there’s a great deal that can be achieved.
“Good ideas come from every side of the legislature, and there’s no reason why the government can’t be aware of that,” he said.
“I’ve gotten bills passed while in opposition because they should have been passed. We can achieve things in opposition. Anyone who says you have to be on the government side to get anything done, shame on them.”
On May 11, Liberal leader Stephen McNeil visited Zutphen Contractors with Liberal candidate Bobby Morris (not shown).