Appearance alongside Tories no endorsement: NSCC president

Last Updated: Thursday, May 28, 2009 | 3:16 PM ET

CBC News

Joan McArthur-Blair, president of Nova Scotia Community College, says her appearance at a Progressive Conservative campaign event should not be seen as an endorsement.

McArthur-Blair said she was invited to speak at MacDonald's news conference Thursday at the Dartmouth NSCC campus.

"The college is apolitical," she told reporters. "We work with the government of the day and work powerfully with any government because community colleges belong to everyone, they belong to the taxpayers of Nova Scotia."

MacDonald repeated his party's pledge to add 2,000 more seats to the college system over the next four years.

McArthur-Blair spoke after that, saying the college turned away more than 2,000 qualified students this year because its programs were full.

She wasn't at a Liberal event at the college on Wednesday for the party's announcement about research parks. Nor did she attend an NDP event in Pictou last Thursday when that party promised to add 250 more college seats.

Liberal Leader Stephen McNeil said he found it surprising that McArthur-Blair would wade into the debate.

But NDP Leader Darrell Dexter said he doesn't have an issue with McArthur-Blair's appearance at the Tory event.

"She told me that she was asked to be there and she felt it was not inconsistent with her position as the head of the community college," Dexter said. "And I don't have a problem with it."

Nova Scotians head to the polls on June 9.

With files from The Canadian Press

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Overall Results

Overall Election Results
Party	Elected	Leading	Total	Vote Share (%)
Updated: Jun. 9, 2009, 10:11 PM ADT
NDP	31	0	31	45.26
LIB	11	0	11	27.22
PC	10	0	10	24.52
GRN	0	0	0	2.33
IND	0	0	0	0.67

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All results are unofficial until final ballot counts are verified by Elections Nova Scotia.

Nova Scotia Votes Headlines

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Michael tips hat to Dexter on NDP win in N.S.: Newfoundland and Labrador's New Democratic Party leader has sent a congratulatory message to Nova Scotia premier-designate Darrell Dexter, following Tuesday night's resounding win in that province's election.
N.S. voters elect 1st NDP government: Nova Scotia has its first NDP government — and a majority government at that — ending a decade of rule by the Progressive Conservatives, who have been reduced to third-party status.
MacDonald's Tories turfed by disenchanted voters: Nova Scotia voters refused to give the Progressive Conservatives a fourth straight mandate in Tuesday's provincial election.

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