Alison Smith is the NDP candidate running in the riding of Lunenburg, in what is her first campaign for public office.
Smith says she’s worked a variety of jobs across the South Shore that has given her a wide perspective on the issues being faced by her community. As for political experience, Smith has worked with the NDP Caucus for the last four years which has offered her insights on what it takes to legislate effectively.
When asked what she sees as the most pressing issues for this election Smith identified housing and healthcare as the key election issues.
“People are very concerned about health care, specifically the issue of access to primary care physicians,” Smith said. She also says her party is committing to maintaining the levels of virtual health care that have been offered through the pandemic as she says Nova Scotians have expressed positive feedback to those programs.
Mental health is another priority for Smith and the NDP who plan to offer same or next-day mental health clinics which they hope will help unburden emergency rooms which are often the only place people can go for care.
Looking at the housing issue, Smith believes the government needs to take a bigger role on the South Shore. “We’ve put a lot of proposals in front of the liberal government that they have ignored and we would like to enact those policies if elected,” Smith said. “Public housing is something we need to be more involved in and we need more units that are priced reasonably.”
Smith says she hears unique struggles with the healthcare issue and housing crisis virtually every day when she’s out door-knocking and she feels her party offers the most solutions to those issues. She says those interested in the NDP campaign should stay tuned throughout the pandemic as NDP leader Gary Burrill will be unveiling more details about their plans to improve health care and housing in short order.
Smith is running against Liberal incumbent Suzanne Lohnes Croft and PC candidate Susan Corkum-Greek.
