If you were looking for the bright side of MLAs Alfie MacLeod and Eddie Orrell jumping ship in the midst of a battle to take control of Nova Scotia healthcare, the new PC candidate to replace Orrell offers the first signs of it. He's confirming what Cecilites like MacLeod and Orrell have persistently avoided: He's in for $15 million more for the CBRM.

FYI - Danny Laffin was recently declared the PC candidate for Northside-Westmount replacing Orrell who resigned (when finally compelled to do so) to run in the federal election instead.

As I have done with many other candidates, I posted a question for Laffin over the weekend, asking if he agreed with the Tim Houston pledge to double the provincial equalization transfer, which would result in about $15 million more for the CBRM annually as long as Houston's government didn't pull a bait and switch and cancel it on us or increase clawbacks to nullify the increase in resources.

Laffin quickly endorsed the commitment. However, as voters, before we buy into that pledge fully enough to even consider casting a PC vote Laffin's way, we need him to reaffirm it every chance he gets up until the byelection and beyond. Shout it from rooftops, Danny. Every interview, every social media campaign, every flyer or ad, etc. This is a primary issue for a very large segment of voters that you'll need in order to win the MLA seat.

Why is $15 Million more so significant?

• With $15 Million more per year, the CBRM could leverage it from between $60 Million and $180 Million in just a four year period... every four years.
• For those who support the NSCC Marconi campus relocation, this means we could have fully done it ourselves without waiting so long.
• With leverage, we could not only move the NSCC Marconi campus, but we could also build the new library all within a four-year period.
• Or we could reduce housing taxes by 21% immediately.
• Or we could reduce commercial property taxes by 46% immediately.

Are you getting a sense of how significant this is?

It's not only significant, but it's also completely financially doable and sustainable for the province and is a great investment in the CBRM. It'll return significant rewards as our region is finally given some breathing room to actually make an attempt to grow on our own terms.

Read more about how it could be used here.

Can't we just raise our own $15 Million?

A little napkin math might alarm you. To raise $15 million more in revenue for the CBRM from our primary source of property taxes, we'd need to build somewhere between 3,000 and 4,000 new homes overnight. Even with some kind of unheard-of economic boom, that's simply not possible overnight or anytime in the near future.

In other words, we don't have a clear path to raising that kind of vitally-needed additional resources. And without it, we can't achieve all of the things that the $60 Million to $180 Million of additional capital and operational funding (with leverage) can get us, every election cycle.

While it is vastly less than what Equalization Fairness advocates suggest should be transferred to us, it would have considerable short-term effects while that debate continues to progress.

So if you believe Tim Houston and Danny Laffin, please let them know that you expect them to reaffirm this commitment all the way up to by-election day, if they're serious about Laffin's chances at earning our votes.

And if you're a Liberal supporter, make sure you ask Ratchford and Botte if they'll support it too, or stay safe within the Premier's resistance to transfer enough federal Equalization money to keep the CBRM from dying.

NOTE: The views expressed above are my own and do not represent lokol (goCapeBreton.com). Read more