Longtime NDP MLA Lenore Zann to run for federal Liberal nomination

Truro-Bible Hill MLA Lenore Zann tours a flooded in Truro, N.S. on Sept. 10, 2012. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Andrew Vaughan)

Longtime N.S. NDP politician Lenore Zann announced on Sunday that she will be running for the Liberal nomination in the federal district of Cumberland-Colchester.

Zann, who has served as a member of the Nova Scotia NDP for 10 years, made the announcement at a party celebrating the 10th year anniversary of first being elected in her riding of Truro-Bible Hill-Millbrook-Salmon River.

The longtime MLA says she informed the N.S. NDP caucus of her decision on Friday. She will now sit as an independent member in Nova Scotia’s legislature as she seeks the federal nomination.

Zann becomes the fourth announced candidate to fill the Liberal nomination that will be vacated by Liberal MP Bill Casey, who had previously announced he will not reoffer for this October’s federal election.

“It is exciting to see MLA Lenore Zann join the other contenders for the nomination for the Liberal nomination for Cumberland Colchester today. As the MP for the area I have worked successfully with Lenore on several projects over her ten years in elected office,” wrote Bill Casey in a statement to CTV News.

The three previously announced candidates for the Liberal nomination are Joel Henderson, Matt Rushton, and Jim Hardiman.