Premier's Bridge Announcement Draws Mixed Reaction

PORT ROYAL - A visit from Nova Scotia's Premier with a $2-million check for repairs to an Isle Madame bridge was greeted with cheers in the community but also met with cynicism in other corners. 

Liberal Leader Iain Rankin joined Richmond Liberal candidate Matt Haley at the Port Royal bridge on the afternoon of August 10, to confirm that the province's Department of Transportation and Active Transit (TAT) will commit the funds to replace the bridge, which has been shut down since 2017, and carry out repair work along nearby MacEachern Road, including the addition of guardrails and the digging of culverts. 

While the announcement generated applause among those in attendance at the Port Royal announcement, at least one other candidate in the Richmond race is questioning its timing, given that it came one week before the final day of voting in an election campaign that has seen the gap between the governing Liberals and the two main opposition parties tighten up in recently-released polls. 

Shortly after Haley praised the premier for the bridge announcement in a candidates' debate held hours later at the Telile Community Television studios in Arichat, independent candidate Alana Paon claimed that she had lobbied for months to get the repair work confirmed and chastised the Liberals for making the announcement in the late stages of the election campaign.

Moments later, Haley apologized to Paon for the suggestion that he had not acknowledged her hard work on transportation-related items for Richmond County during her four and a half years as the MLA for the riding's former incarnation as Cape Breton-Richmond. However, he insisted that the bridge announcement was proof that he was capable of "fighting" for Richmond County residents as a part of the government caucus. 

For his part, Rankin described the Port Royal bridge announcement as part of "an ongoing strategy" for roads and bridges across the province by his government, when questioned by TELILE 24/7 host Adam Cooke about the timing of the announcement shortly after the Premier concluded his official remarks to the crowd in attendance.