Provincial election speculation ramps up as Houston, Churchill accuse each other of lying

With rumors circulating about an early provincial election, Liberal Leader Zach Churchill and Premier Tim Houston exchanged sharp words on Thursday, each accusing the other of lying to mislead the public for political gain.

The controversy centers around a new fundraising flyer from the Progressive Conservative Party, featuring a “Tim or Trudeau” carbon tax survey. The flyer shows a smiling Houston alongside black-and-white images of Churchill and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, asking voters whether they side with Houston, who opposes the carbon tax, or with Trudeau and Churchill, whom the flyer claims support it.

However, Churchill has publicly and repeatedly denied supporting the federal carbon tax. “Houston is more focused on attacking his political opponents and lying to get votes than on helping the people he was elected to serve,” Churchill said during a press conference in Halifax on Thursday.

He criticized Houston for failing to address key challenges, such as rising living and housing costs, despite record provincial revenues. Churchill argued that Nova Scotia’s federal carbon tax is the result of Houston’s refusal to propose a viable alternative. Ottawa had warned provinces that the federal tax would be imposed if they failed to present their own carbon pricing plans.

Houston’s proposal, which excluded a consumer price on carbon and instead relied on policy measures to reduce emissions, was rejected by Ottawa. In response, the Liberals have suggested replacing the federal carbon tax with a regional cap-and-trade system, potentially including other Atlantic provinces.

During a media session following a cabinet meeting, Houston dismissed the cap-and-trade idea as “a sneaky price on carbon.” “He supports the price on carbon,” Houston said of Churchill. “He supports the carbon tax.”

Houston defended the accuracy of the party’s letter, branding Churchill a "Trudeau Liberal" and claiming that the federal government would prefer him as premier. “I welcome the day he stands up to the prime minister and stands with Nova Scotians,” Houston added.

Houston also took aim at Churchill’s support for a federal cost-sharing proposal to upgrade the Chignecto Isthmus, which would see Ottawa cover 50% of the cost, with Nova Scotia and New Brunswick covering the rest. Houston has argued that the federal government should fully fund the project.

Additionally, Houston criticized Churchill for backing a federal plan to send asylum seekers to Nova Scotia. Churchill, in turn, accused Houston of hypocrisy for supporting population growth while resisting efforts to accommodate refugees.

The Progressive Conservatives’ flyer arrives amid a series of new candidate appointments and government announcements targeting opposition-held districts. These include a one-year extension of the Yarmouth-Maine ferry service and preparatory work on the Chignecto Isthmus near Amherst.

Sources told CBC that Houston could announce a provincial election as early as next weekend. Although the premier passed legislation in 2021 to establish fixed election dates, with the next one set for July 15, 2025, speculation about an early election continues to grow.