Cumberland-Colchester Liberal candidates spar

TRURO, N.S. — The road to the Liberal nomination in Cumberland-Colchester got a bit rough, with one candidate accusing another of spreading “misleading information.”
Joel Henderson raised the matter. He's running against Lenore Zann and Jim Hardiman, as each vies for the federal MP's seat held by Bill Casey, who is retiring. The Liberal nomination meeting is this Saturday.
“A number of people told me Lenore said she was endorsed by Bill and the Liberal Party,” said Henderson. “We’re all calling party members now, and people said they got calls from her team, saying they were calling on behalf of the Liberal Party.”
In an email, he went so far as to say "...Trump-like campaign tactics are dragging us all down and need to stop."
Zann maintained the claim about her and her team is false.
“Nobody has said Bill or the party have endorsed me. At one time, one volunteer said they were calling for the party. We straightened that out and we addressed it, and it wasn’t done any more. We’re doing the same as others, making calls, and a volunteer made a mistake.
“I’m shocked, saddened and disappointed that he would say this. We’re running a positive campaign and are reaching out and talking to people, listening to their concerns.”
Henderson noted his hands aren’t “100-per-cent clean” as he had photos posted with the Liberal logo in the back. When he was told they were inappropriate, he took them down.
“We all have weaknesses,” he said. “I will raise her weaknesses.”
Zann said some longstanding Liberals did ask her to run, and when she met him in Ottawa, Justin Trudeau told her that if she chose to run for the Liberals, he’d love to work with her.
Hardiman is the third candidate for the nomination.
“They’re all working hard and any of them would do a great job as MP,” said Bill Casey, who is retiring as MP for the riding. “They all have different backgrounds and bring different perspectives, but I think they’re all well qualified and I think a contested nomination is healthy. I will support whichever candidate wins the nomination.”
He said he has encouraged each one to run and attended events with them.