CHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I. - Thursday was a homecoming of sorts for Mike Redmond.
The only thing that would complete Redmond’s return to his roots is winning the Nov. 27 byelection to represent District 11, Charlottetown-Parkdale in the provincial legislature — an area in which he lived for around 35 years.
The leader of the P.E.I. NDP was acclaimed as the party’s candidate at a nomination meeting held at Upstreet Craft Brewing.
Though his home district is now Montague-Kilmur, Redmond says he’s heard many supporters suggest the byelection is an opportunity to bring NDP representation back to the legislature.
“You need to have an intelligence and someone who can articulate the issues well in the house and hold this government to account, because to this point they have not been … by the (other) three parties,” he said. “That’s what I think I can do best.”
Earlier this week, the three other major parties each selected their candidates who will vie to replace former Education minister Doug Currie. Currie stepped down from his seat on Oct. 19.
The Liberals will run Charlottetown councillor Bob Doiron, while the PC party’s contender is also a city councillor, Melissa Hilton. The Greens selected Hannah Bell to round out the nominees.
It appears Redmond’s campaign for District 11 will focus on electoral reform. The NDP leader and several supporters who spoke Thursday said last year’s non-binding plebiscite, in which Islanders voted for a mixed-member proportional representation electoral system, should be honoured.
But Edith Perry, an NDP council member from District 5 who put forward Redmond’s nomination at the meeting, said there are many other issues the party leader will advocate for now that the campaign in underway.
“He has been, since he’s become leader … fearless, courageous and has always stood for the people who need to have a voice. He’s always stood for social justice,” said Perry. “The main thing now is for him to be out on the doorsteps and have people out there helping him do what needs to be done.”
While Redmond admits Currie’s resignation caught his party by surprise, the same is true of the other three parties, so he feels the NDP is on equal footing heading into Nov. 27.
And while it could be an uphill battle for a party without a seat in the legislature, Redmond said the prospect of the NDP leader losing a byelection doesn’t deter him.
“People think it’s just (about) a district – we’re all interconnected here. Decisions that are made in Charlottetown have a positive or adverse affect in Souris or Tignish and everywhere in between,” he said.
“You’re there to be the voice of the people. Whether you’re elected or not, people still call and they still need support and they still need help.”
