16-Year-old Jessica MacDonald would like to speak directly to the candidates running in the Federal Election about her future on Cape Breton Island. While Jessica is not old enough to vote, some of her friends are, and the youth are the future of our island.

Jessica has been a full board member of the NSEF (Nova Scotians for Equalization Fairness) for the past couple of years, joining at the age of 14. Jessica and her friends started their own group, Rising Youth for Equalization, and have produced a video that was well received by the community.

Jessica will ask each respondent 4 questions that are listed below and then allow each candidate 5 minutes to speak directly to the NSEF followers and the community in general. Jessica is a pleasant and polite young lady who will be 100% respectful to all candidates.

Here are the questions that Jessica will ask:

How will you, as our Member of Parliament, fight for Cape Breton with regards to equalization fairness?

Are you prepared to go to the Minister of Finance, the Minister of Justice and anyone necessary in Ottawa to inquire about this unfair issue?

Are you prepared to tell the public, who elects you, the truth about the answers you are given in Ottawa and why?

Will you stand up to your political party on this issue and do what is necessary to see Cape Breton be treated equally and fairly by our own government in the future?


The NSEF will contact each candidate separately and report back to the public with who has agreed and who has not. We will let you know who responded and in what order when we send out the emails to each candidate. We hope that all will participate, and all should look at this as an opportunity to address the public who are concerned about this important issue as well as to take advantage of the opportunity to speak about what is important to you, the candidate.

Thank you to Jessica MacDonald for being so engaged in the well being of Cape Breton’s future, at such a young age. Thank you in advance to the candidates who reply, who are very busy in an election campaign, for taking a half hour to speak to Jessica and her generation about their future and concerns.

Here is who have been contacted:

Cape Breton / Canso

Mike Kelloway (Liberal)
Fiona MacLeod (PC)
Jana Reddick (NDP)
Randy Joy (VCP)

Sydney / Victoria
Jaime Battiste (Liberal)
Eddie Orrell (PC)
Jeff Ward (NDP)
Ronald Barron (PPC)