Nova Scotia to hold general election
Nova Scotians will vote today in provincial elections that will decide the party composition of the province’s legislative assembly.
Today’s vote follows successful provincial elections in Saskatchewan, British Columbia, Newfoundland and New Brunswick, which managed to balance new government formation while also keeping citizens safe amongst a worsening pandemic. Nova Scotia is currently run by the centrist Liberal party, which manages a 2-party minority coalition government. There is a chance that no party or coalition manages to secure a majority after today’s elections. In such cases, Canadian law states that the current government will have the first rights to form a new government.
Today’s vote happens as Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has called for a nationwide snap election on September 20, two years early. Given the effectiveness and safety of earlier provincial elections, Trudeau likely hopes that his government’s 46% national public approval, alongside a hugely successful vaccination campaign, will elevate his Liberal party into a majority government from their current 35.5% of public support. As Nova Scotians head to the polls today, Trudeau will be watching closely to see if Liberals outperform in local elections, which may be an indicator of a larger national trend in September.
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