Tolls and Promises Just Part of Nova Scotia Election

Premier Rankin was in Amherst yesterday for a rare visit to Cumberland County and the reception wasn’t exactly warm.

Iain Rankin stood in front of a motel beside the Trans Canada Highway to announce a limited reduction on the tolls at the Cobequid Pass.

Rankin said his government will cut the toll for cars with Nova Scotia plates. However, he intends to keep charging commercial vehicles and out of province visitors.

Some people booed as the announcement fell flat.

Not even the presence of the usually popular Bill Casey could lighten the heavy feeling. Casey is the Liberal candidate in Cumberland North.

The MLA for Cumberland South reminds that former Premier, Stephen McNeil announce the end of the tolls during an election in 2017. Tory Rushton said that was not only untrue, but the premier extended the tolls for another five years.

Rushton says the Rankin Liberals are the same as the McNeil Liberals. They will promise but they won’t deliver.

Meanwhile, the Tories reaffirmed their commitment to eliminate the tolls altogether as was intended by the law that established the toll highway in the first place.

The NDP also said they would remove the tolls as soon as the highway debt was paid. Earlier reports suggested that debt should have ended in 2019, but Premier Rankin said it would be done this year.

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