By Andrew Macdonald
Stephanie Howatt, campaign manager for Jaime Battiste, explains how the candidate came to run in Cape Breton-Canso-Antigonish.
Howatt is a fourth-generation Kinley Clan member to be involved in Liberal politics, and she managed Battiste’s win in the recent federal election.
Battiste was acclaimed in Cape Breton-Canso-Antigonish on April 27, the day before the election.
Originally, Battiste said he would run in Sydney-Glace Bay, which might have meant a showdown with fellow Liberal Mike Kelloway who also planned to run in the redistributed riding.
Between 2019-2025, and Battiste had been Member of Parliament forSydney—Victoria, while Kelloway had been MP for Cape Breton—Canso between 2019–2025. Both MPs initially said they would run in the new riding of Sydney-Glace Bay, sparking a contest.
But in the end, Battiste ran in Cape-Breton-Canso-Antigonish, and Kelloway ran in Sydney-Glace Bay, and both politicians were elected to go to Ottawa.
Battiste’s campaign manager, Stephanie Howatt says the decision on where to run was made by senior Liberals in Ottawa.
“There were lots of conversations…but it was a decision that was ultimately made by senior people in the party,” Howatt tells The Macdonald Notebook.
Under Liberal party rules, if 70 per cent of a riding is part of a new redistributed riding, the Liberal MP is to run in that new riding.
Seventy per cent of Battiste’s former riding went with Sydney-Glace Bay. But complicating issues is that both Glace Bay, where Kelloway has a home, and Eskasoni, where Battiste has a home, both moved to the new riding of Sydney-Glace Bay.
“If 70 per cent of the EDA (electoral district area) stays, that is the EDA. Generally, as a rule of thumb if 70 per cent of the riding remained, that was your riding,” explains Howatt. “Technically, 70 per cent of Jaime’s riding of Sydney-Victoria was Sydney Glace Bay. However, Eskasoni moved and Glace Bay moved.
“There was discussion with the party and with Mike Kelloway. There were a lot of things that needed to be considered and consulted, and ultimately, at the end of the day, the decision is with the party leader, and there was a new party leader,” adds Howatt.
“I think that everyone was waiting for some direction from Mark (Carney). Jaime and Mark did have the opportunity to briefly discuss it, during (Battiste’s) endorsement (of Carney)”. Mike Kelloway also endorsed Mark Carney. So, I can’t speak to him, but I am sure there were discussions had with him.”
During the process of determining what riding to run in, Battiste went to Ottawa and met the national campaign manager Jamie Kippen and the Liberal campaign team.
“Ultimately, Jaime and they decided it was in everyone’s best interest for him to run in Cape Breton-Canso-Antigonish,” adds Howatt.
From left, Inverness provincial candidate Jamie Beaton, winning Liberal Jaime Battiste, and campaign manager Stephanie Howatt in Inverness. Social Media
