By Andrew Macdonald
Looking back at last summer’s provincial election, which Liberal Iain Rankin lost by 7,500 votes, not once did former premier Stephen McNeil make any campaign appearances with Rankin.
Did you, Dear Reader, also notice McNeil did not appear in photos with Rankin or attend campaign rallies with Rankin.
Not even when Rankin went campaigning in the former premier’s home of Annapolis County did McNeil join him on the campaign stops.
McNeil did make campaign stops with Liberal candidates and appeared in campaign videos, including a video for the nomination event for Yarmouth’s Zach Churchill.
The reason for McNeil’s absence with Rankin is rooted with the two Rankin ‘driving under influence’ charges. Sources report Rankin only disclosed one conviction as a 20-year-old to McNeil during his candidate vetting process in 2013.
Rankin reportedly did not disclose a second charge at age 22 that was dropped on a technicality.
McNeil knew that was a problem. If he appeared in public with Rankin and was asked by the media what he knew he would have to tell the truth, that he only knew about one.
So the only recourse was to avoid being in a situation where he might be asked. He didn’t want to hurt Rankin but he also was not going to lie to protect him.
McNeil is a person of integrity and Rankin had left him in a difficult position.
Iain Rankin on the 2021 campaign trail. (Contributed).
It meant that Rankin lost the very public support of McNeil when it might have made a difference in the election outcome.
The central Liberal campaign lost one of its best assets: the very popular former premier, Stephen McNeil.
