South Shore—St. Margaret’s

South Shore—St. Margaret’s stretches along Nova Scotia’s southwestern Atlantic coast, encompassing Lunenburg and Shelburne counties, the region of Queens, and a small portion of western Halifax Regional Municipality around St. Margaret’s Bay. Major communities include Bridgewater, Lunenburg, Shelburne, Liverpool, Chester, Mahone Bay, and the fishing village of Peggy’s Cove.

Candidates

Gerald Keddy (Conservative) — Born in Bridgewater, Keddy was first elected to the House of Commons in 1997 as a Progressive Conservative and had represented the riding continuously since then. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in History from Acadia University and had worked as a Christmas tree grower and offshore drill operator before entering politics. In Ottawa, he served as chair of the Standing Committee on Fisheries and later as Parliamentary Secretary for International Trade, Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, and then National Revenue and Agriculture.

Gordon Earle (NDP) — Born in Halifax, Earle is a former NDP Member of Parliament who represented Halifax West from 1997 to 2000. Before his parliamentary career, he served as Chief Human Rights Officer and assistant to the Ombudsman in Nova Scotia and as Ombudsman of Manitoba. After losing his Halifax West seat in 2000, Earle ran in several subsequent elections in the South Shore riding, narrowly losing in 2008.

Derek Wells (Liberal) — Wells was a former Liberal MP who represented the old South Shore riding from 1993 to 1997. He sought the Liberal nomination for the 2011 contest and won it in October 2009, attempting a return to Parliament after more than a decade away.

Kris MacLellan (Green Party) also contested the riding.

About the Riding

The South Shore is one of Nova Scotia’s most picturesque regions, and its economy reflects that dual character of traditional resource industries and tourism. Lunenburg, a UNESCO World Heritage Site founded in 1753, is home to the Fisheries Museum of the Atlantic and Canada’s largest secondary fish-processing plant. Shelburne boasts one of the largest natural harbours in the world. Bridgewater, the largest town in the region, serves as a commercial centre and hosts a Michelin tire manufacturing plant. The fishing industry—including lobster, scallops, and groundfish—remains a primary employer along the coast, while forestry and Christmas tree farming sustain inland communities. Tourism is increasingly important, with visitors drawn to Peggy’s Cove, Chester, Mahone Bay, and the Bluenose II’s home port of Lunenburg. The riding’s population was approximately 79,000. Key local issues in 2011 included fisheries management, rural broadband access, and the economic future of coastal communities facing declining fish stocks and outmigration.