N.L. Alliance waiting on green light for party status

The newest contending political body in Newfoundland and Labrador is one step closer to gaining party status, after submitting the required 1,000 signatures to Elections NL on Tuesday.

Graydon Pelley, a former PC Partypresident who walked away from the Torieslast year, announced in November his goal to create an additional party in time for the 2019 general election.

Pelley called Tuesday's submission a "milestone" and a "historic day" forthe province.

In a press conference, he leaned on rhetoric that painted the NL Alliance as an alternative for voters "thirsty" for change and promoted the theme of political cohesion.

The party plans to releasea framework for electoral reform, he said, which will "eliminate the adversarial party system we have today, and make sure that every government works for the people of the province and not the colour of the party."

Once the party's registration is confirmed by the provincial chief electoral officer, the NL Alliance will begin the process of selecting candidates to run in the fall election, Pelley said.

Elections NL confirmed it received the package of information from the NL Alliance and will conduct apreliminary review of the materials, which will "inform [the] process and anticipated timelines," a spokesperson said.

TheElections Actrequires all 1,000 petitioners who signin support of a partyto be eligible to vote in an election, the spokesperson said,so officials will have to vetthe names and addresses on the submission before proceeding.

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