Arts community wooed in St. John's byelection campaign

Competing Tory and New Democrat candidates in a St. John's byelection campaign are reaching out to the vibrant arts community, with different Codco stars helping the cause.

Jerome Kennedy— a criminal defence lawyer making his debut in politics— is trying to take Signal Hill-Quidi Vidi for the governing Progressive Conservatives, and has enlisted actor and director Mary Walsh in his campaign.

Lorraine Michael, elected NDP leader this spring, hasrecruited the help of Walsh's former Codco colleague, Greg Malone— himself an NDP candidate in a federal byelection in 2000.

As well, Michael's campaign is being managed by Rick Boland, who played Walsh's husband on the CBC Television series Hatching, Matching and Dispatching, and has been a frequent collaborator.

District home to theatre

The Liberals are not fielding a candidate in the Nov. 1 byelection to elect a successor to Jack Harris, the former NDP leader who had represented the district since 1990.

The district is home to the LSPU Hall theatre and other venues associated with the arts community.

Walsh, a former artistic director of the LSPU Hall, confirmed she will campaign for Kennedy, but declined comment.

Kennedy makes no bones about appealing to the arts constituency.

"Signal Hill-Quidi Vidi— I think I could go as far as to describe it as the cultural centre of this country," he said.

Among the artists who have supported Kennedy is Amy House, artistic animateur of Resource Centre for the Arts, which owns the LSPU Hall. Kennedy sits on the RCA board.

Nancy Riche, president of the NDP in Newfoundland and Labrador, shrugged off the support Kennedy has received from well-known artists.

"I would have thought they'd be more progressive people," Riche said.

"So Jerome Kennedy can brag about Amy House, and put her picture in a leaflet, but I think we've got a lot of the arts community, too."

Michael said Thursday she does not feel parts of the arts community have turned their backs on her.

"I don't see it that way," she told CBC News. "I have no idea how Amy House and Mary Walsh voted in the past."

New interest in the arts

The campaign is an echo of the early years of the government of Brian Peckford, who embraced the arts communityupon his election in 1979 and created the Newfoundland and Labrador Arts Council soon after.

Premier Danny Williams has revived government interest— and spending— in the arts. This March, he announced he would double the arts council's budget over the next three years.

Kennedy said he has long been a supporter of the arts community, but noted his campaign has a broader mandate.

"It's only one part of this district. It's an integral part— but it's one part," Kennedy said Thursday.

A byelection win is critical for the NDP, which holds just one other seat in the provincial legislature. The PCs hold 35 seats, while the Liberals have 11.