Kings—Hants

Kings—Hants is a federal riding in central Nova Scotia encompassing all of Hants County and the eastern portion of Kings County, situated within the fertile Annapolis Valley. The riding includes the towns of Kentville, Wolfville, Windsor, Hantsport, and Berwick, along with surrounding rural communities. It stretches from the agricultural heartland of the valley to the tidal marshlands along the Minas Basin and the Bay of Fundy.

Candidates

Scott Brison (Liberal) — First elected in 1997, Brison was seeking his sixth consecutive term in Kings—Hants. Born in Windsor, Nova Scotia, he earned a Bachelor of Commerce from Dalhousie University and worked as an investment banker before entering politics. Originally elected as a Progressive Conservative, Brison crossed the floor to the Liberals in December 2003, days after the PC-Alliance merger created the Conservative Party. Heading into 2011, he served as the Liberal Party’s finance critic, a role he had held since 2006.

David Morse (Conservative) — Morse was a former Progressive Conservative MLA who represented Kings South in the Nova Scotia legislature from 1999 to 2009. A graduate of Mount Allison University and McMaster University’s MBA program, Morse worked as a life and disability insurance broker before entering provincial politics. During his time at Province House, he held several cabinet portfolios including Environment and Labour, Community Services, and Natural Resources. He won the federal Conservative nomination for Kings—Hants by acclamation in January 2011.

Mark Rogers (NDP) — Rogers carried the NDP banner in Kings—Hants in 2011.

Sheila Richardson (Green Party) — Richardson is an educator, mediator, and counsellor who holds a degree in Environmental Geography from Ulster University and a Master of Education from Dalhousie University. A long-time Green Party activist, she ran as the party’s candidate in multiple federal and provincial elections in the Kings—Hants area.

About the Riding

Kings—Hants sits at the heart of Nova Scotia’s agricultural economy. Kings County alone boasts over 600 farms, and the Annapolis Valley is famous for its apple orchards, vineyards, and the growing Nova Scotia wine industry. The Michelin tire plant in Waterville is one of the region’s largest private-sector employers, while Canadian Forces Base Greenwood—the largest Royal Canadian Air Force base on Canada’s East Coast—provides significant employment in the western part of the county. Acadia University in Wolfville and the Nova Scotia Community College’s Kingstec campus in Kentville anchor the riding’s educational sector, and the federal Kentville Research and Development Centre supports agricultural innovation. The riding had a population of roughly 85,000 as of the 2011 census. Local issues heading into the 2011 campaign included support for agriculture, rural economic development, and the sustainability of military operations at CFB Greenwood.