Lorraine Michael 'determined' to run in 2015
Lorraine Michael is vowing to make another run at becoming the first New Democratic Party premier of Newfoundland and Labrador.
General elections in the province have fixed dates, so the next election is scheduled to take place on Oct. 13, 2015. If Michael — the current NDP leader — runs in this election, she will be 72 years of age.
"I'm determined to be on the ballot in 2015," said Michael speaking with David Cochrane, host of the CBC show On Point with David Cochrane.
"Please goodness, I'm not going to get sick or anything. I'm in perfect health, and certainly will plan to keep myself in perfect health," she said.
"I can't imagine. We never know what will happen. As long as I'm in perfect health, I have no reason to think that I was not going to be leading this party in 2015."
Cochrane made the point that most people at 72 years of age are looking to end their working life, but Michael disagreed that age was a factor in her ability to lead.
"I feel wonderfully young. I feel energetic," she said. "I don't what else I need."
Michael said she will be obviously be working with younger people on her team.
"One of my goals is when I leave that we have people ready to run for leadership, wanting to run for leadership, that's always been my goal since 2006 to move us to where we seem to be going," she said.
In a recent poll by Environics Research Group popular support for the NDP was at 38 per cent, ahead of the governing Progressive Conservative Party at 35 per cent. The overall margin of error is plus or minus 3.2 per cent, 19 times out of 20.
