Break with tradition, Layton tells N.L. voters
Last Updated: Friday, December 9, 2005 | 1:51 PM ET
CBC News
Jack Layton told a St. John's rally Thursday night he knows he cannot promise an NDP cabinet minister for Newfoundland and Labrador – but says that should not stop voters from breaking with tradition.
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"It turns out that you can have cabinet ministers and not get results when you have a Liberal government," the NDP leader told a rally for Mike Kehoe, the party's nominee in St. John's East.
"What you also find is that when you have a strong NDP caucus that is ready to fight for Newfoundland and Labrador – even in this case, when we didn't have a sitting member – you get results."
Layton reminded supporters the NDP was the first federal party to back Premier Danny Williams's campaign last year to renegotiate the Atlantic Accord.
In a race for control of Parliament that Layton acknowledged is between the Liberals and Conservatives, Layton said voting NDP can still make a difference, and voters can choose candidates who reflect their values.
"I'm saying it is time to break out of the same-old, same-old in Newfoundland and Labrador. There's a chance to go a new way," Layton said.
The NDP has three candidates nominated in Newfoundland and Labrador's seven ridings. A fourth is expected to be nominated within days.
The NDP has won two seats in Newfoundland and Labrador in the past.
Fonse Faour represented Humber-Port au Port-St. Barbe between 1978 and 1980. Jack Harris, the retiring leader of the provincial NDP, held St. John's East between 1987 and 1988.
