Twila Grosse said no decision yet on her role with African Nova Scotian Affairs, joining caucus [AUDIO]

Halifax Examiner — The new PC MLA for the riding of Preston says it’s still too early to say whether she will be appointed as the new minister of African Nova Scotian Affairs.

Twila Grosse won Tuesday’s byelection, making her the first person of African descent to be elected for the provincial PC party.

At her campaign announcement event in June, Grosse and Premier Tim Houston said they had had some preliminary discussions about her taking on the role of minister with African Nova Scotian Affairs. In an interview with the Examiner on Thursday, Grosse reiterated that no decision has been made on that matter.

“Now my focus is, in terms of being oriented, being set up as an MLA, getting going with regards to trying to seek solutions, and trying to get up to speed on some of the various issues and some of the things that need to be done in the riding,” Grosse said.

“I’m sure at some point that discussion will be had with regards to moving forward and sort of how I can contribute to our government.”

The next sitting of the legislative assembly will also be the first in Nova Scotia’s history where MLAs of African descent will represent all of the parties in the legislature.

“Of course, it’s definitely something when African Nova Scotians are now at the level given the opportunity to serve as MLAs and to represent the community … in the ridings in which they run,” said Grosse. “Absolutely, I think that that’s huge, that’s very significant.”

First PC MLA in Preston since 2003

Grosse won the byelection on Tuesday with more than 45% of the vote. She will now be the first PC MLA to hold the riding since HRM councillor David Hendsbee, who served as MLA from 1999 to 2003.

Though the Preston riding consists of a majority of white voters, it’s also a protected riding, meaning its boundaries are drawn in a manner that is meant to ensure effective representation of minority populations with longstanding historic roots in the riding.

It is also the provincial riding with the highest number and overall percentage of Black voters in all of Atlantic Canada.

Of the numerous communities within the riding, the predominantly Black Preston communities — East Preston, North Preston, Cherry Brook, and Lake Loon — for which the riding is named, encompass the largest concentration of Black people in all of Atlantic Canada.

In 1993, the riding elected the province’s first Black MLA and cabinet minister, Wayne Adams. In 1998, Yvonne Atwell became the province’s first Black female MLA.

‘I kept a very open mind’

Grosse said aside from hearing about a need for improved transit infrastructure, specifically from voters in the communities of Preston and Lake Echo, constituents were most concerned about health care, support for seniors, affordability, and housing.

“That’s sort of what I expected. And to be honest with you, I always, in terms of knocking on doors and engaging and speaking with folks, I kept a very open mind because I wanted to know from them, what were their issues? What were their concerns? And how did they feel about our current government under Tim Houston? How were they doing? And I got some really, really positive responses,” Grosse said.

Grosse said some of the inroads the Houston government has made with health care are resonating with people, including giving Nova Scotians without a family doctor access to health care. She said constituents were also pleased with the recently ratified contracts for doctors and nurses.

“A lot of work is being done in health care. Sometimes we might not be able to see it, but behind the scenes, things are happening,” Grosse said. “And a lot of the folks, they gave us the thumbs ups for the work that was being done, recognizing that the problem didn’t start overnight and that it’s gonna take a little while to fix it.”

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