TRURO – Lenore Zann will never forget her first visit to Province House watching in awe as Alexa McDonough powerfully addressed the legislature.
Yesterday as the Truro-Bible Hill NDP candidate was campaigning, the formidable woman who inspired her to run for office was offering support at her side.
“I’m proud as punch she’s here with me, I’m honoured,” said Zann, as she and McDonough greeted Crossley Carpet Mills employees as they left work for the day.
Zann’s parents are lifetime members of the provincial NDP and Zann was introduced to McDonough at a very young age.
During an International Women’s Day in the early 1980s, when McDonough was the lone elected woman in the legislature, she invited Zann to observe the government in session.
“That stuck with me,” said Zann. “That was a very important moment in my life.”
When McDonough assumed the leadership of the provincial party in 1980 she became the first woman ever to lead a recognized political party in Canada. She lead the party for 14 years before entering federal politics in 1995 as party leader and was first elected to the House of Commons in 1997 and served until 2003.
The two women have had a very close relationship, with McDonough even filling in
for Zann’s father, giving her away at her first marriage.
The veteran politician said there is a need for more candidates like Zann in the political arena to better represent the diverse mix of people.
“I could tell you when I first met Lenore, I always knew she would end up in politics,” said McDonough.
She said Zann’s greatest campaign challenge will be connecting with the people ANDthe tide is shifting with a growing number of people respecting the work and record of NDP party Leader Darrell Dexter.
Throughout the coming weeks McDonough will be joining other candidates across the province on the campaign trail.
“It’s an addiction,” said McDonough. “I believe in it to the very core of my being grass roots politics matters.”

smartell@trurodaily.com