April 28th — Canadians go to the polls to elect a new Federal government. In the riding of Cumberland-Colchester, who are the candidates?
For all the information you need in order to vote, identify candidates, key dates and documentation requirements, visit the Elections Canada website: www.elections.ca
Dr. Stephen Ellis,
Conservative Party
Alana Hirtle
Liberal Party
Larry Duchesne
New Democratic Party
Kelly-Ann Callaghan
The Green Party
The People’s Party
Hello Oxford is attempting to interview all of the candidates, which will be included below. In the meantime, we are providing material from each candidates website / social media page to help guide you on the issues. Text in italics is taken from the candidates’ websites, while normal text is our original content from interviews.
The Incumbent: Dr. Stephen Ellis for the Conservative Party
Dr. Stephen Ellis, first elected in 2021 as a Member of Parliament, was also vice-chair of the Standing Committee for Health (HESA), and the Medical Assistance in Dying (MaiD) committee.
Federal Election Candidate for Cumberland Colchester and his family
Dr. Stephen Ellis, a dedicated physician, Air Force veteran, and experienced public servant, is honored to stand as your Conservative candidate for Cumberland-Colchester. With deep roots in our community, he brings a wealth of experience and unwavering commitment to the region he proudly calls home.
Early Life and Education
Dr. Stephen Ellis was raised in Lincoln, New Brunswick, alongside his brother and parents. After graduating as valedictorian from Oromocto High School, he pursued a Bachelor of Science degree at Dalhousie University, graduating cum laude. He continued at Dalhousie University School of Medicine, where he earned his Doctor of Medicine in 1993.
Military Service
To support his medical education, Dr. Stephen Ellis joined the Medical Officer Training Program of the Canadian Armed Forces. As a medical doctor with the Royal Canadian Air Force, he rose to the rank of captain and served at bases in Shearwater, Nova Scotia, and Comox, British Columbia. His service included missions across Canada and overseas in the Middle East, earning him the Special Service Medal and the Canadian Peacekeeping Service Medal. His dedication to the military community continued as he served as Honorary Colonel of the Nova Scotia Highlanders for three years.
Medical Career
In 1999, Dr. Stephen Ellis established his medical practice in Truro, Nova Scotia, where he served as a family physician for over two decades. His practice encompassed inpatient care, emergency room services, and a chronic pain clinic, reflecting his comprehensive approach to healthcare.
Commitment to Cumberland-Colchester
Dr. Stephen Ellis’ commitment to community service is evident through his involvement in various initiatives. He was the principal founder of the Truro Walk with a Doc program and has actively participated in the Bible Hill Fire Brigade, Scouts Canada, minor hockey, and the Guatemala Outreach Project. His dedication to promoting health and well-being extends beyond his medical practice into the heart of the community.
Family
Dr. Stephen Ellis has been married to his wife, Deborah, for 32 years. Together, they have three adult children—Samantha, Allison, and Zachary—and are proud grandparents to Lina and Livy. An advocate for an active lifestyle, Dr. Stephen Ellis enjoys cycling, golfing, playing hockey, and occasionally visiting the gym.
Dr. Stephen Ellis’ diverse background and steadfast dedication position him uniquely to represent and serve the people of Cumberland-Colchester with integrity and passion.
The Challenger: Alana Hirtle for the Liberal Party (website)
A champion for a better future in Cumberland–Colchester.
I’m a proud daughter of rural Nova Scotia. I grew up in Lunenburg County with grandparents teaching me that showing up for your community isn’t optional—it’s our responsibility.
It’s not my lifelong dream to be involved in federal politics. But given the challenges facing communities I love across Cumberland-Colchester — I believe my life experience has equipped me to serve in this moment. My deep roots with the business community and across the tourism industry, along with time working alongside communities facing big questions about how they will face the future have taught me so much about the potential of Cumberland-Colchester.
For over 35 years, I’ve been in the trenches of our local business community. I’ve spent the last 9 years helping everyday Nova Scotians build their small-business dreams from the ground up as an analyst and advisor with CBDC (Community Business Development Corporation).
What does that look like in real numbers?
-That’s 542 jobs created in our communities
-It’s over $7.6 million invested directly into local businesses
-It’s real-world economic opportunity built from the bottom up
Before that, I spent 30 years in hospitality and events, including 14 years making magic happen as Event Manager at White Point Beach Resort. I understand how important the tourism industry is for our entire region.
When tragedy struck our community in 2020, I didn’t wait for permission to help. I became one of the driving forces behind the Portapique Community Build Up + Project. Together, we created spaces for healing:
-A natural playground (opened October 2021)
-A new Community Centre (opened June 2024)
I led efforts that secured over $1.5 million to make these community spaces a reality. My commitment to Cumberland-Colchester runs deep:
-Rotary Club of Truro member since 2013 (President 2017-2018)
-President of Central Nova Tourist Association (2014-2016)
-Leader on multiple community committees including Heritage, Events, and Welcome Network initiatives
The time for standing on the sidelines is over. Our country faces critical challenges—and I believe this is exactly what my grandparents meant when they said it was our responsibility to show up for the community.
I’m running because I believe that someone with real experience in job creation and community building needs to be at the table fighting for Cumberland-Colchester. I’m asking for your support to help me do this work.
Let’s build something extraordinary together.
New Democratic Party
The Endurance Runner: Larry Duchesne for the New Democratic Party (website)
Larry is a well-known member of his community having worked both as a teacher and a community newspaper reporter. Recently, his community involvement has included the Oxford and Area Food Bank and Don’t Spray Cumberland County (a committee opposes the annual aerial spraying of glyphosate on planted forests).
Larry is a lifelong New Democrat and has played many roles including provincial and federal candidate. He is currently President of the Cumberland South EDA and Financial Agent for Cumberland-Colchester. He was on the provincial party executive for a number of years. Larry is proud of Jagmeet Singh’s work to bring dental care to Canadians who need it, and to establish the groundwork for a national pharmacare program.
° ° °
Larry Duchesne has been running for the NDP, provincially and federally, for a very long time. The former leader of the Prince Edward Island New Democratic Party, Duchesne ran his first campaign in Annapolis County back in 1975. He moved to Cumberland County and ran in both federal and provincial elections since 2013, earning between five and 12 percent of the vote.
The New Democrats have consistently been a third-place party in this riding. My question to Duchesne: Why do you bother running?
“We do it to keep our voice out there, we play a role in keeping the issues that matter on people’s minds.” He notes that “Trump is at the forefront of most people’s thinking right now. We need a voice, a leader who remembers to speak about the environment, about the social programmes that we’ve been trying to improve.”
The federal NDP had an arrangement with the Liberal party under former Prime Minister Trudeau to support it against non-confidence votes brought forward by the Conservatives. This enabled the NDP to push for the creation of a national dental programme and the framework for a national pharmacare programme.
Duchesne says that while health care is a provincial responsibility, the federal government has an important role to pay as the top funder for health care and for seeking partnerships on dental and drug coverage. He notes that these programmes could easily be lost… and having a strong NDP voice on the national stage helps to keep the pressure on to ensure Canadians are protected.
Duchesne recognizes the importance of the federal government’s role in cutting red tape for medical practitioners’ ability to be certified in Canada, as well as interprovincial mobility to address the challenges in filling physician and other medical system staffing needs.
In terms of which government would serve voters best on the federal stage, he sees the NDP as the only progressive party, while voters can also choose from “two conservative parties: the Liberals and the Conservatives.”
He says the selection of Mark Carney to lead the Liberal Party signifies a move to the right, with the Liberals now talking about pipeline construction even as the NDP calls for cuts in the market-distorting subsidies that prop up the oil and gas industry. Duchesne says it’s important to have the NDP out there, talking about the environment and social programmes, while the other parties are actively working against those goals.
Protecting Canadians into the future is another aspect of the NDP’s push for a national retrofit programme, providing heat pumps and insulation upgrades that would be paid for by removing oil & gas industry subsidies.
Federal NDP leader Jagmeet Singh announced the NDP’s plan earlier this week, claiming it would save some three million Canadian households over $4500/year. In a media release, Singh stated “This is how we fight the climate crisis and protect Canadians from the effect of Trump’s trade war at the same time,” adding, “We can let CEOs and Big Oil profit while families pay the price, or we can take bold climate action that protects your job, lowers your bills, and builds a better future for everyone.”
On the doorsteps, Duchesne says the hardline conservative voters are still hardline conservatives… but he sees many ‘soft’ conservatives who, unfortunately for the NDP, see the Liberals as their second choice. But he feels many of them are keeping an open mind toward the NDP and as the campaign moves closer to election day, the NDP should be able to win over more support.
Duchesne hears voters voicing concerns relating to the economic uncertainty that stems from U.S. President Donald Trump’s chaos-ridden trade war, which has some seeing the environment taking a lower priority to keeping food on the table. he says people are still aware that there is a climate problem, and cites environmental protection concerns like the use of glysophate spray on forests, as topics on which the NDP stands apart from the other parties.
For his part, Duchesne thinks that the “change happened so fast, people’s thinking hasn’t gone that far. The crisis that has been caused by Trump has people afraid, wondering what we will do to survive?” Protecting the environment and protecting social programmes is the NDPs answer.
Kelly-Ann Callaghan. The Green Party
The Environmental Alternative: Kelly-Ann Callaghan — The Green Party (website)
Kelly-Ann is an honoured Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Award Recipient and advocates for safe attainable housing.
I am running for my children, for your children, and for all of us caught in this affordability crisis. As a small business co-owner and parent, I experience firsthand the daily struggles facing Canadians. Housing insecurity, rising grocery costs, soaring energy bills, and mounting taxes are squeezing families from every direction.
Since 2012, I’ve been actively working to create change. I started by raising donations for homelessness initiatives, initially with a modest goal of funding 30 emergency shelter beds. Year after year we raised more and more money for homeless shelters in Canada but the issue continued to get worse. The escalation of our housing crisis since then has been staggering – a testament to government failure. The poverty we now witness extends beyond tent encampments in other provinces; it is here in Nova Scotia and it puts additional strain on our healthcare and criminal justice systems. The issue is felt widespread, as people are pushed out of urban centres desperate for housing. The burden is felt by every Canadian. We need federal laws to ensure housing accountability from Provinces and Municipalities. Making certain that legislative barriers are removed to allow more types of housing in every municipality is essential to eliminating the gap, also known as the missing middle, in our housing crisis. Preventing unoccupied housing from sitting empty in urban core centres needs to be remedied. As well as eliminating the monopolization of the real estate market by mega corporations.
To add more fuel to the fire, we are dealing with trade issues with our closest neighbouring country. Unity across Canada is necessary, as we defend our sovereignty. Interprovincial trade needs to be renegotiated as well as new trade opportunities explored with other countries. When the trade war is solved, we must then focus on our continual support of the local economy here in Nova Scotia. Giving extra support to small business owners who put the communities first will make us more self-reliant and stronger. As a co-owner of an advertising and marketing agency that works with specialized small retailers, I know how important a strong local economy is for a thriving community and small business owners are the pillars.
Finally I would not be running for the Green Party without a Green lens on every bill passed. I’ve witnessed climate change devastation in Nova Scotia firsthand—the fires, flash flooding, homes destroyed, and lives lost. I’ve seen volunteer firefighters struggle to protect our communities without proper compensation. We urgently need increased funding, better prevention tactics and more responsive crisis management.
The Green Party offers practical solutions for today’s challenges while securing a brighter future for coming generations. I’m committed to:
- Ensuring that every Canadian has the right to adequate housing.
- Building a better Canadian economy.
- Supporting local business owners and the local economy.
- Ensuring no one is left behind.
I hope I can count on your vote to bring these crucial changes to Ottawa and plant hope for generations to come.
Paul Church – The People’s Party of Canada (website)
Paul Church is a proud supporter of the People’s Party of Canada and our Candidate for Cumberland—Colchester. He is driven by a deep commitment to standing up for his community and defending the core values of freedom, personal responsibility, respect, and fairness. Paul believes that Canada can restore its prosperity and give power back to the people if we have the courage of our convictions. Help Paul today to be the change we need in Cumberland—Colchester!
