Alana Paon says she’s not sure if she’ll seek reelection.
Paon is the independent MLA for Cape Breton-Richmond, which she’s represented since 2017, both as a member of the PC Party and as an independent.
Paon says, being an independent means she doesn’t have to go through the same nomination process as party members, so, she has some time to decide.
“Whether I go into a campaign or not, it’ll just be an extension of what it is that I’m already doing,” she said during a telephone interview.
The riding, currently Cape Breton-Richmond, will return to its historical status as the Acadian riding of Richmond in the next election.
While Paon isn’t sure if she’ll reoffer, she says whatever happens, she hopes to see a French-speaker representing the area.
“I do believe, being that we’re going back into a protected constituency, that the next MLA, whether I’m so fortunate … that that person can communicate in both official languages.”
Paon added that whatever she decides, the choice will be made following conversations with her family and through careful considerations of the challenges and rewards of the job.
“So far the positives are way outweighing the negatives,” she said.
Premier Rankin must call an election before May 30 of next year, but it’s widely expected he’ll call one sometime this year.
