By Andrew Macdonald
- Halifax West: Can A Top Tory Topple Lena Metlege Diab – Conservatives Eye Known Brand Name As Challenger
There is a lot of new speculation that the Conservatives could run Rob Batherson to challenge Liberal MP incumbent Lena Metlege Diab in Halifax West.
The recent chatter that Batherson will run for the Tories federally in Halifax West is significant because it means a Tory running in Halifax’s federal riding can’t win.
Recently, Tory bagman David Henderson suggested to The Macdonald Notebook that the battle in the Halifax riding is NDP candidate Lisa Roberts’ to lose.
If as expected incumbent Liberal MP Andy Fillmore runs for Mayor of Halifax, then the race in Halifax is wide open. But, for Tories, the reality is they last elected a Tory partisan in 1984, and the seat was lost in 1988. Stewart McInnes, the late lawyer held the Tory seat from 1984-1988, losing in ‘88 to Liberal Mary Clancy, who then lost to NDPer Alexa McDonough in 1997.
Batherson resides in Halifax, but the chatter is he will run for Pierre Poilievre in Halifax West.
But he has an historic claim in Halifax West because he grew up in Lower Sackville.
Currently, the Liberal MP for Sackville is Darrell Samson, and the riding is made up of Sackville Preston Chezzetcook.
In the next election, the riding becomes Sackville Bedford Preston, changing its name from Halifax West.
Batherson grew up in Sackville, where both of his parents worked.
The chatter of him running federally, is significant because Batherson had also until recently been speculated as a candidate for the mayoral race in Halifax/HRM this fall.
Lot yet 50, Batherson realized a dream in the last few years of becoming an entrepreneur. He owns a PR agency in Halifax.
A Tory candidate in Halifax Citadel on the Jamie Baillie ticket in 2017, he came last.
But, it should be pointed out Citadel is a very tough riding for Tories and the last Progressive Conservative elected in this riding was some 20 years ago with a breakaway win from Jane Purves in 1999 – she went down to defeat in 2003, even though she was a high-profile minister in the John Hamm government, holding Education & Health.
Batherson did increase the Tory vote in Citadel and if he ran in any other riding, he might have won in 2017. He also ran in Sackville in 1999 but did not win, and joined then Premier John Hamm’s office as an effective press secretary that year.
Tory Halifax businessman, Rob Batherson, with Caroline Mulroney, and former Tory MLA, Elizabeth Smith-McCrossin in 2019. The Notebook file photo.
He is the past president of the federal Tory party.
He is also well known in the city, attending a lot of business people’s charity events. He is a former chair of the Halifax Chamber of Commerce.
Batherson did not return a call for comment over the Easter weekend on whether he will be a candidate running against Metlege Diab in the riding constituting Halifax West.
In 2023, when I asked back then if he’d gun for mayor, he said that year it is flattering to be considered for political office.
“It is always flattering when people suggest I should seek elected office. I appreciate those who do so either publicly or to me directly.
“Since leaving Premier John Hamm’s office in 2005, my path has generally been one of working in business, serving in leadership roles outside of politics and participating in the political life of our city, province and country.
“I am really enjoying that path at this stage of my life and I don’t anticipate that changing on the immediate horizon.
“Should I ever decide to run for elected office again, that will be a conversation I will first have with my family,” he said in a Notebook chat in 2023.
Rob Batherson, a Tory with former PM Brian Mulroney.
That year, he said the community is “facing major challenges, from overall affordability to housing, transit and public safety.”
“As I have always done in any election, I will exercise the right we all enjoy as citizens to participate.”
