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The Liberal party faithful will not gather Saturday for the COVID convention to select a new provincial party leader and premier.

We would have much preferred no pandemic and all the usual bells and whistles but that just wasnt in the cards, party executive director Michael Mercer said this week.

Once that was apparent, which was immediately, we moved on to doing it the best we could. Everyone has been wonderful.

The everyone Mercer refers to are leadership candidates Randy Delorey, Labi Kousoulis and Iain Rankin, their families, the 8,100 delegates who voted for a new leader and party staff.

Of that group, only the leadership hopefuls, their immediate family and the party staff will be among the 60-plus people who will attend the muted convention at the downtown Halifax Convention Centre on Saturday afternoon and evening.

Were all in this together, Mercer said, adding that the party is very appreciative of the guidance from Dr. Robert Strang, the provinces chief medical officer of health, and the provinces health department for helping to organize convention protocol that is comfortable for public health and the party.

Its not ideal, none of it is for anybody, Mercer said. Certainly, were making the best of it.

Scott Pruysers, a political science professor at Dalhousie University in Halifax, said that leadership elections, under normal circumstances, are usually good business for the party.

These internal elections allow parties to recruit new members, attract lots of free media attention, energize core supporters, and, according to the empirical evidence, often result in a short-term boost in the polls, Pruysers said.

Even with COVID-19 restrictions that limited the travel of the leadership candidates and hampered the in-person recruitment of new members, the party added roughly 7,000 new members to its ranks. I suspect this would have been higher under more normal circumstances, but 7,000 new members is still a good thing for the party. New members provide financial support to the party through membership dues, donations, etc., and act as a good source of labour come election time."

We would have much preferred no pandemic and all the usual bells and whistles but that just wasnt in the cards. Once that was apparent, which was immediately, we moved on to doing it the best we could.

Michael Mercer, Liberal party

Pruysers said COVID is a challenge for political parties

The campaign was entirely virtual (online town halls, debates, etc.) and as a result, the party lost an opportunity to cultivate a sense of excitement among the public, and to provide long-term party members with some exciting party business to be involved in, Pruysers said.

With the convention and results being held virtually, we wont see the same kind of buzz as a result, Pruysers said.

The five dozen or so people who will attend the convention will arrive in separate groups, be COVID tested before entering and take their places in the family rooms, media or staff spaces.

Masks and social distancing will be enforced in all spaces at all times.

The convention itself will feature a video tribute farewell to Stephen McNeil, the outgoing Liberal leader and premier. The votes will be counted, with each delegate having listed their preferences from first to third. If a winner with 50 per cent of the first-place votes is not declared in the initial count, the second- and third-place votes will determine the winner.

No delegates will be in attendance but they will be able to watch online. The 8,100 delegates would have had to be a member of the party or become a party member before Jan. 6 and register before Jan. 12 as a delegate, which included a $20 fee, to attend the virtual convention, Mercer said.

Pruysers said the party is unlikely to be worse off as a result of the modified campaign and convention.

The party will still reap the benefits of a leadership election, they will just be muted by COVID, Pruysers said. The party is going to have thousands of new members, free media attention for the winner, and a modest level of excitement for long-term supporters.

Mercer said everyone involved with the party has had a good attitude about the campaign and convention restrictions.

There is no point dwelling on it, the whole world is in this, Mercer said. Were looking forward, were excited for the 8,100 folks that registered. We grew our party tremendously. The three candidates have been out working through Zoom or in person when it was allowed or safe or appropriate. We all feel that we managed this the best that we could and the final show on Saturday will be similar.

I havent heard any disappointment. I think folks understand, Nova Scotians and Canadians are being asked to follow advice and guidance and we have to do the same thing.

The new leader should be declared by 7 p.m.

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Liberals 'making the best' of COVID-muted leadership convention - TheChronicleHerald.ca