The following letter was sent to the two candidates for Sydney - Glace Bay. We will publish their response once one is received. Dear Anna Manley and Mike Kelloway: The NSEF is reaching out to you today as you both prepare yourselves for a federal election. We have thousands of followers who you now can speak directly to on the topic of equalization fairness, for the residents of Cape Breton Island. I am 94 years old now and have been at this for over 30 years for one simple reason and that is no one in government will speak on the issue of our constitutional rights under section 36. Not one elected official and that is sad. A party leader can not tell you as a candidate to ignore this issue as it is a serious problem for the residents of Cape Breton. We watch year after year as billions and billions of dollars are sent by Ottawa to Nova Scotia for the residents to live to a Canadian standard without excessive taxation. The municipal deficiency of the CBRM and rural Nova Scotia generates a significant portion of the yearly transfer and this year alone it is over $650 million. Every year we watch as this transfer grows by hundreds of million and yet the CBRM continues to receive a pittance of $15 million and that soon will be reduced to $13 million by the Tim Houston government. Today I am contacting you to ask you one simple question, in full public view. “What will you do to seek equalization fairness for the overtaxed residents of the CBRM in Ottawa should you be elected as the Member of Parliament for Sydney – Glace Bay”? This letter was published on multiple social media platforms and your response will be published as well. Thank you and best of luck in your bid to win the privilege to represent the beautiful people of Cape Breton Island. Regards, Rev. Dr. Albert Maroun on behalf of The Nova Scotians for Equalization Fairness