Right-hand to former premier challenges popular Liberal MP
Published Monday September 8th, 2008
SAINT JOHN - A former Tory cabinet minister and confidante to Bernard Lord will run against Paul Zed in the federal election.
Rodney Weston, who served as Lord's minister of agriculture and chief of staff, will announce today that he is challenging Zed in the riding that includes Saint John, Rothesay and Quispamsis.
"I intend to offer, and I'm pretty excited about it,'' Weston, who sat in the provincial legislature from 1999-2003, said. "I think I bring something to the table, and I think there is an opportunity here, not only for me, but for Saint John. It's a chance to be part of the next government, and to play a role within it.
"Wouldn't it be nice for Saint John to have someone sit at the table while decisions are made, rather than to be asked to comment after the fact?"
Weston acknowledges that Zed, who ousted Elsie Wayne to become the Member of Parliament for Saint John in 2004, is a formidable opponent. He was re-elected in a close race against John Wallace in 2006, and in 1997 became the only Liberal to win the heavily-Conservative riding of Fundy Royal.
"I have great respect for his abilities,'' said Weston, who was chief of staff and point man for the Progressive Conservatives during Lord's second term. "I know he will work hard in this campaign until the minute the polls close.
"But it is what he has to offer that I hope voters focus on."
Weston, who plans to launch his campaign this week or early next, remains close to Lord, now the national co-chairman for Stephen Harper's campaign. The prime minister, who made an election call on Sunday, hopes to form a majority government when Canadians head to the polls on Oct. 14.
Although Stéphane Dion led in New Brunswick in a recent survey, Harper is ahead of the Liberal leader in most of the country. Dion's platform includes a tariff on gasoline that would be offset by lower income taxes. The Liberals say a so-called carbon tax would help protect the environment and decrease taxes for seniors and lower-income families, but it has proven to be a stumbling block with voters.
"I don't believe Paul is going to have a lot of success selling a carbon tax at this time of extraordinarily high gas prices, and with people heading into winter,'' Weston said.
The former fire chief and deputy mayor of St. Martins, Weston is taking a leave from his job as an executive at Cooke Aquaculture to run against Zed. He considered entering the race for more than a year.
"The outpouring of support has been tremendous,'' Weston said. "People have been calling me and encouraging me to run. I've run in one municipal election and a couple of provincial elections, and I don't ever remember it this way.
"It's a little surprising."
On Friday, Zed said that he welcomes the challenge, and feels comfortable running on his record. Zed said that Saint John has received record funding from the federal government since he was elected in 2004, and that he has shown that he can work effectively with Harper, even though they wear different political stripes.
"Every three or four years or so, we have a debate for 30 or 35 years, but once that debate is over, you work with everyone,'' Zed said. "My job isn't to wear partisanship, it is to represent all members of the community. That's your responsibility."
Weston said he believes the experience he gathered as an MLA and working behind the scenes as a government adviser leave him well-prepared for the federal race. He sees improving Saint John's infrastructure and housing needs, and continued economic prosperity, as critical election issues.
"I know a lot is happening in the region right now, and I want to see that continue,'' Weston said. "I know the Conservative government of Canada has worked with Saint John in the past, but it would be so much better if the city had someone within the ranks, working as a conduit to the halls of power in Ottawa."
Marty Klinkenberg is contributing editor of the Telegraph-Journal. He can be reached at martyklinkenberg@hotmail.com.
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