Early byelection gives Halifax candidates head start in federal election race

Halifax’s byelection has become a full campaign with the announcement of the federal election.

The federal election campaign is in full swing, but, in Halifax, candidates vying to be the next MP have been on the campaign trail and knocking on doors for weeks.

The election race began as a byelection to replace Liberal MP Andy Fillmore, who stepped down in the summer to run for mayor – a race he won.

Now, with the federal vote underway, the byelection has merged and turned into a full-on election campaign, making Halifax home to the longest one in the country, which gives candidates more time to connect with voters.

“We had a head start, a three-week head start,” said Halifax Liberal candidate Shannon Miedema, who says the top concern she’s hearing from voters is about U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariff threats and their potential impact on Canada.

“The number one issue that we are consistently hearing is around Trump with the tariff threats and the threats to our sovereignty,” said Miedema. “That is definitely top of mind and the biggest issue that we are hearing about at the doors.”

NDP candidate Lisa Roberts agrees the U.S. president and the tariff threats loom large right now, but she says renters and younger voters are more focused on the cost of living.

“There’s a lot of concern and a lot of frustration I think over how little the housing issue has been addressed and in fact at how much worse it’s gotten,” said Roberts, who ran for the NDP in 2021 and lost to the Liberals by a little more than 1,500 votes.

Roberts wants to turn the Halifax riding orange again, like it was before the Trudeau government came to power.

“We want to have NDP parliamentarians in the House of Commons,” said Roberts. “We want to have an NDP voice from the East Coast and Halifax is a real opportunity to do that.”

Conservative candidate Mark Boudreau acknowledges his party hasn’t won in Halifax since the early 1980s, but says voters are ready for change.

“I’ve been an underdog all my life,” said Boudreau. “I grew up in deep poverty and relying on food banks, and I know what it’s like to struggle. And when I’m at the doors and talking with the people of Halifax they tell me they are struggling, and the economy is struggling and that it’s time for a change.”

Boudreau believes Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre’s platform is resonating with voters.

“Pierre’s messaging around putting Canada first, axing the tax, stopping crime, building homes,” said Boudreau. “All these messages are resonating here.”

With polls showing a recent Liberal bump, Miedema says it comes down to a difference in leadership style.

“Voters want professional, calm, collaborative, and good communicators at the table,” said Miedema. “And I feel like people are saying they get a sense of relief with someone like (Mark) Carney at the helm.”

The federal election is set for April 28.

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