Liberal candidate Carlo Simmons (Image contributed by the Nova Scotia Liberal Party).

Liberal candidate Carlo Simmons and his party are dealing with an unwanted distraction ahead of the Preston byelection, now that Elections Nova Scotia has launched an investigation into some of their campaign signs.

Earlier this week on August 1, ENS ordered the Liberals to remove all signs and cease distribution of any campaign materials which do not accurately reflect the facts involving a potential C&D processing facility in the community. They set a deadline of August 3, at 12 a.m. The liberals refused, the deadline came and went, and now ENS has initiated the investigation under section 287 of the Elections Act.

It states that the Chief Electorate Officer, Dorothy Rice, can launch an investigation into any issue which could be considered an offence under the act. It also says that Rice may bring in the help of any third party to help with the investigation. In this case, that third party is the RCMP.

The signs in question allege that Premier Tim Houston and the Progressive Conservative government have done ‘nothing’ to stop the dump from coming to Preston. In a press release on their website, the PCs say that there has not been an application for a dump in the area, and therefore there is nothing for them to try and stop yet.

Voters in Preston will head to the polls on August 8^th.