N.S. MP seeks to ‘pave a path for future generations’ with Liberal leadership bid

Nova Scotia MP Jaime Battiste discusses his decision to run for leader of the Liberal Party.

Nova Scotia MP Jaime Battiste has spent a lot of time working the phones since he announced his intention to run for the Liberal leadership recently vacated by Justin Trudeau.

“I was urged to by a lot of First Nations across Canada,” said Battiste, who represents the Sydney-Victoria riding as the first Canada’s first Mi’kmaq member of Parliament,

Battiste said he went to Ottawa last week intending to endorse other Atlantic Canadian candidates like Dominic LeBlanc and Sean Fraser.

However, after they decided not to run, he said chiefs of Indigenous communities told him they would back him to at least lay some groundwork.

“Before there was a Premier Wab Kinew, there was an Elijah Harper,” Battiste said. “Before there was a President Barack Obama, there had to be a Jesse Jackson. There always has to be that first person to take those first steps, even if they know the steps they’re taking are meant to pave a path for future generations.”

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Cape Breton University political scientist Tom Urbaniak said Battiste’s biggest hurdle will be raising the $350,000 entry fee required by next week.

He said even if that amount of money proves out of reach, Battiste has still raised his profile – or someone else’s – for the next time.

“This is a longshot candidacy, but it is a clever move,” Urbaniak said. “Even if his name ultimately doesn’t appear on the ballot for the Liberal leadership, his endorsement of some other candidate will now matter.”

“It sounds like Mark Carney will run. It sounds like Chrystia Freeland will run,” said Dalhousie University political science professor Lori Turnbull.

Turnbull says those candidates would be considered front-runners as each has at least 30 members of Parliament supporting them already.

“It seems to be Mr. Battiste is starting this now, and so I think the timing of it is probably going to be an uphill battle for him,” Turnbull said.

Battiste admitted he considers himself an underdog but said he has come to relish that role, noting it didn’t hurt him the night he was first elected in October 2019.

“No one ever picked me to win, and yet here I am. It kind of motivates me,” Battiste said.

The leadership race entry fee is due by January 23.

The Liberal Party will pick its next leader March 9.

For more Nova Scotia news, visit our dedicated provincial page.