With 2 weeks left in the campaign, party leaders logging big miles

It's Day 17 of Nova Scotia's 31-day provincial election campaign.

Grit, NDP and Tory leaders hit the road

The leaders of the three major parties continued their campaign efforts outside Halifax on Sunday.

NDP Leader Gary Burrill took a swing down Highway 101, with stops to campaign in six districts along the way. Burrill will begin Mondaycampaigning in the Yarmouth area before heading back toward Halifax via Highway 103 with more stops along the way.

Tory Leader Tim Houston campaigned on Sunday in the districts of Colchester-Musquodoboit Valley and Hants East before returning to Halifax for Emancipation Day events. Houston's Mondaywill include a health-care related announcement and campaigning in the Halifax area.

Liberal Leader Iain Rankin, meanwhile, spent more time in Cape Breton on Sunday.

The day included a stop in Sydney where Rankin detailed his party's plan for skillstraining and job growth. The majority of the platform includes a previous announcement about hundreds of new in-person seats at the Nova Scotia Community College and thousands more positions for othertraining options.

Rankin's plan also includes previous government announcements related to the NSCC for forestry innovation and expansion of three community college sitesfirst announced in 2019. New on Sunday was a promise to spend $3.75 million over three years for 150 co-op placements and $3.5 million to help businesses with up to 90 applied research projects.

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Atlantica's free votes

The leader of the Atlantica Party was reminding people of a long-standing party policy on Sunday: free votes for any MLAs under the party banner.

In a news release Sunday, party Leader Jonathan Dean reiterated that the Atlantica Party, which has yet to elect an MLA, would allow free votes for any members in the legislature. The only other party with a similar stated policy is the Green Party of Nova Scotia, which haspledged to allow free votes for any of its MLAs in all casesexcept confidence votes.

Typically, MLAs at Province House vote along party lines, although there have been examples in the past where that wasn't the case.

In a news release, Dean said he believes MLAs should be free to put the wishes of their constituents ahead of those of the party.

How to vote

Check whether you are registered to vote with Elections Nova Scotia.

Once registered, you can vote in advance of election day by requesting a mail-in ballot or by visiting a returning office or advance polling station.

On election day, polling stations will be open from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.

More information on voting is available from electionsnovascotia.ca.

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