People's Alliance Leader Kris Austin with St. Croix candidate Rod Cumberland in Oak Bay.
Rod Cumberland is officially entering the Saint Croix byelection under the People’s Alliance banner.
Cumberland is native to St. Stephen, growing up on the Old Bay Road and Mayfield, and graduating from St. Stephen High School in 1983.
We asked Cumberland what made him want to run as a candidate for the People’s Alliance Party of New Brunswick.
He told us many friends had told him he needed to get involved in politics and says four different parties asked him to join their ranks for the byelection.
“When I was debating which party I would go with, the one that actually allows you to do the most, that has the most influence for the area, is the People’s Alliance. They hold the balance of power right now. If you go in with one of the other two parties you’d be a backbencher, so not a lot of influence in the House.”
Since the People’s Alliance holds that power, Cumberland adds, if we really want change in Charlotte County he thinks that is the way to get it.
He tells us another reason he was intrigued by the People’s Alliance is the fact you can vote your constituents’ mind.
Cumberland says with most issues coming up in the Legislature, the main parties must vote along their party line, and he’s not sure how that helps Charlotte County.
“We need to take our issues there, but we also need to be able to voice our issues there. I see that as a real strength. That’s democracy, that’s what we’ve been missing for so long and that’s what the area needs.”
Cumberland says he does not want to play politics and has no intention of making promises he can’t keep.
His plan is to talk to as many people as he can to find the issues Charlotte County residents are dealing with, and what is important to them, “Things like the Flakeboard, for example, they need cheaper energy rates and that’s a handicap for them. There’s other big industry in the province that get those breaks so why can’t we get that for them.”
Cumberland tells us the only person who was opposed to him running was his own mother, who said it would be hard on his family, and claimed he’s too honest and uses common sense.
“I thought, other than the first one, the other two are exactly what we need right now in politics, common sense and honesty, and people who are willing to stand up on those principles regardless of what is thrown at them.”
