N.S. Grits mixed over fighting election with interim leader

Liberal MLAs are split over whether having an interim leader makes it more difficult to decide the fate of the minority Tory government.

Rodney MacDonald's government needs the support of either the Liberals or the NDP to pass a budget this spring and remain in power.

Campaigning in an election with an interim leader would be highly unusual, but Michel Samson said Liberals will be guided by what they believe isbest for Nova Scotia.

"We have no intentions of supporting a budget that is not in the best interests of Nova Scotians," said Samson, the acting leader of the third-party Liberals since June 2006.

Though Samson doesn't want the job permanently, he said he's ready to take on whatever challenge comes along between now andthe day when Liberals choose a leader in April.

'Complicated situation'

Halifax-Clayton Park MLA Diana Whalen, one of the possible leadership contenders, isn't keen to go to the polls with a stand-in leader.

"I don't expect an election," Whalen said. "If one were to be called, it's going to be a very complicated situation."

The last leader, Francis MacKenzie, failed to win a seat in the June provincial election and raise the Liberals up from their third-party status in the legislature.

The party holds only nine of the 52 seats at Province House. The Tories have 23 seats and the NDP 20.

Another possible leadership candidate, Annapolis MLA Stephen McNeil, is less concerned than Whalen about an early election.

McNeilwants to see a budget that's "palatable to most Nova Scotians," one the Liberals can support.

"We'll see that when [MacDonald] puts it on the table,"he said.

McNeil and Whalen are still deciding whether to run for the leader's job. Colchester County Mayor Mike Smith is the only person in the race so far.