Strait Talk Ep. 50

Liberal candidate Jaime Battiste sat down with Civic Journalist Jake Boudrot to discuss his campaign for the new federal riding of Cape Breton–Canso–Antigonish.

As with all candidates interviewed at Telile’s Arichat studio, Battiste was first asked about his life before politics—his roots, work experience, and community involvement.

“I live in the community of Eskasoni. My mother is from Potlotek, and my grandmother lived in Canso for a time, so I have a strong connection to this area,” he said. “My background is in law. I graduated in 2004, then went into academia. My parents are both academics who met at Harvard in the 1970s.”

Before entering federal politics, Battiste served as senior advisor to the Chief of Eskasoni First Nation and was involved in the seafood business through Crane Cove. He also served as Nova Scotia’s Treaty Education Lead.

“I worked closely with Mi’kmaq communities and the province to develop a Memorandum of Understanding on advancing treaty education,” he said. “That collaborative work showed me the power of sitting down with people and finding solutions—something I knew I could bring to Parliament.”

Battiste has represented the former riding of Sydney–Victoria as a Member of Parliament for the past six years. During that time, he served as Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs.

“I also ran for the Liberal leadership, briefly,” he added. “I felt Atlantic Canada needed a voice in that race. I had several conversations with Mark Carney and realized he was the right person for this moment.”

Asked what makes him the right fit to represent the riding, Battiste pointed to his experience and collaborative approach.

“Leadership is about relationships—federal, provincial, municipal, and Mi’kmaw governments working together,” he said. “There’s incredible potential when those relationships are strong.”

On why he’s seeking re-election, Battiste said the stakes are higher than ever.

“This is the most important election in our history. We’ve never seen our closest ally openly threaten to annex Canada or impose economic hardships,” he said. “I want to be in Parliament to stand with Mark Carney and say: ‘We will push back against Trump.’”

When asked about the key issues in the riding, Battiste said leadership experience is essential in a time of global uncertainty, citing recent tariffs on Canadian goods from both China and the U.S.

“Mark Carney may be the most qualified Prime Minister we’ve ever had, especially when it comes to economics,” he said. “He studied at Harvard Business School, earned a PhD in economics from Oxford, and has the experience to counter Trump’s financial threats.”

He also emphasized the importance of preparing for climate change.

“When I attended the United Nations as an MP, I heard the same message everywhere—coastal and northern communities will be hit hardest by climate change,” he said. “We have to invest in resilience now.”

The new riding includes parts of the Cape Breton Regional Municipality, all of Richmond County, the Town of Port Hawkesbury, Inverness County, Victoria County, Guysborough County, and Antigonish town and county.

Battiste wrapped up by talking about his campaign schedule and what’s ahead on the trail.