RICHMOND COUNTY - Voters here will soon choose between four candidates in the upcoming provincial election, including an independent incumbent that was ejected from the Nova Scotia Progressive Conservative caucus two years after her upset win over a longtime Liberal MLA.

Alana Paon ran on the PC ticket in 2017 in the riding of Cape Breton-Richmond, which added the Town of Port Hawkesbury and several communities in the southern portions of the Cape Breton Regional Municipality to the traditional Richmond riding. Paon defeated Michel Samson, a cabinet minister in the Stephen McNeil government and an MLA for the previous 19 years, by only 21 votes.

However, two years later, Nova Scotia PC Leader Tim Houston ousted Paon from the party caucus after a prolonged dispute between the MLA and the Office of the Speaker of the House of Assembly over her negligence in making her main constituency office in St. Peter's wheelchair accessible. She now claims her independent status as an asset, campaigning on the premise that "this Paon is no political pawn."

Paon's replacement on the Richmond Tory ticket, chiropractor Trevor Boudreau, is originally from Louisdale but served as a town councillor in Port Hawkesbury from 2012 to 2020. He is also known for his efforts in physician recruitment for the Strait Area via his leadership role in the Cape Breton South: Recruiting For Health committee. 

The Richmond Liberal candidate, Matt Haley, is the director of operations for the Conseil scolaire acadien provincial (CSAP) and sits on the boards of directors for the Arichat Community Development Association and the Petit de Grat Beautifcation Society. A Bachelor of Engineering graduate from Dalhousie University, Haley ran for the federal Liberal nomination in Cape Breton-Canso two years ago, finishing second to the riding's eventual Member of Parliament, Mike Kelloway. 

The last candidate to file his nomination papers for Richmond was Bryson Syliboy, who will represent the New Democratic Party. Raised in Shubenacadie and now living in Port Hawkesbury, Syliboy is a vocal advocate for LGBTQIA and Mi'kmaq issues and was successful in his campaign to have flags lowered at municipal buildings across Nova Scotia following the discovery of the remains of 251 children at the residential school site in Kamloops, British Columbia this past May. 

Telile Community Television will host a debate featuring all four Richmond candidates on Tuesday, August 10 at 7 p.m. It will be moderated by TELILE 24/7 host Adam Cooke, who is soliciting questions from the public at the following address: adamjrcooke@yahoo.ca.