- MacPolitics: Jamie Baillie & Dale Palmeter Endorse Mark Boudreau Candidacy For Spryfield Regional Councillor With HRM
By Andrew Macdonald
He was until recent times, campaigning for the Team Tim Houston ticket to run for the provincial seat in Halifax Atlantic, and running against now ex-Liberal MLA Brendan Maguire.
But last Thursday, Maguire became a political turncoat and joined the Houston Tory government, instantly being named as Community Services Minister.
That move leads Boudreau’s candidacy in Halifax Atlantic high and dry. It is understood, that Premier Tim Houston had previously encouraged Boudreau to run against Maguire.
But, now, there is a Tory and Liberal school of thought Boudreau should run next fall for HRM elections in his hometown of Spryfield.
There is a lot of new political chatter that former Loblaw grocer executive Mark Boudreau will run for Halifax Regional Councillor.
Over the winter he became Houston’s chief spokesperson in the Tory caucus, a job that was to train Boudreau for a political run on Team Tim’s Ticket.
The Spryfield resident is now said to be eying a contest in District 11, where he would be in a race against incumbent councillor Patty Cuttell.
Raised in a welfare family, Boudreau was a leading Loblaw executive at its Halifax office for the last decade.
I am hearing that if he mounts a municipal campaign he would even have the support of leading Scott Brison political aide, Dale Palmeter.
Palmeter is now a government lobbyist at Crestview Strategies and served as chief of staff to Brison for 22 years both as a Tory and later Liberal.
Dale Palmeter suggests Mark Boudreau should run in Spryfield for Halifax Regional Council.
Mostly candidates that Palmeter backs win races – 0and Palmeter is a former Tory who got an unknown political commodity elected in 1999: Tory Lady Jane Purves, in a seat not welcoming to Tories, Halifax Citadel.
In a chat with former Tory leader, Jamie Baillie, I asked him about the political chatter Boudreau might run in Spryfield.
Retired Loblaw executive Mark Boudreau, right, and former Tory leader Jamie Baillie. Baillie thinks Boudreau has a future in elected politics. (Notebook file photo).
“Well, I know Mark, and he is a very talented guy. He worked at Loblaw and has been very involved in our community through his work with Loblaw,” says Baillie.
At Loblaw, Boudreau forged alliances with the grocer and Feed NS, and backed inner-city salad dressing entity, Hope Blooms, which supports youth in a business and social enterprise.
“He would be a formidable politician if he runs. Whether he runs, federally or municipally I do not know. That would be up to him.”
