Paul Davis says finding good candidates harder than ever, despite full slate

Progressive Conservative Leader Paul Davis is happy theparty was able to nominate candidates for all 40 districts in Newfoundland and Labrador'selection, but said it is increasingly harder to do so in today's political climate.

In the days leading up to the nomination deadline, there was some concern the PCs would not be able to find candidates to run in the coastal Labrador districts of Cartwright-L'Anse au Clair and Torngat Mountains, both considered Liberal strongholds.

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However, on Friday,party executive Sharon Vokeywas named as the Tory candidatein Torngat Mountains while Jason McKenziewould carry the party banner in CartwrightL'Anse au Clair.

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Davis told reporters on Friday that he has faith in all 40 of his candidates, but saidthat he hasnoticed it's becoming more difficult to find new faces willing to subject themselves to the scrutinyof a political life.

"Politics is tough on people, it's tough on families," he said.

"Once you enter politics, you throw your whole life open and it becomes an open book where people can pass opinions on you and your past, and things you've done before"

Davis said that that openness is even worse than it was just six years ago when he first decided to throw himself into politics. He said that heightened transparency likely influences people's decisions about running.

"I remember when I decided to run in 2010, I had people say 'are you sure you want to subject yourself and your family to that," he said.

"When I ran for the leadership last year I had people who said the same types of things to me. I made the decision to do thatbut I think that plays on some people."

Torngat candidate won't visit district

Davis says even though the party has candidates in place for the Labrador coastal districts, at leastin the case of Torngat Mountains, candidate Sharon Vokey won't actually be campaigning there.

"I can understand why someone would be frustrated with that," he said,

"She's expressed an interest before of having her name on the ballot. She's expressed an interest in becoming a candidate in the future for us and felt this was a chance to get herself exposed to it."

In the case of Burgeo-La Poile, the party is running nursing student Georgia Darmonkow.

Davissaid people shouldn't see putting an unknown candidate in as an act of desperation, but as a way to bring fresh blood into the ranks.

"She's a masters student and her family is interested in politics, and she has expressed interest in getting involved," he said.

"It's not a bad thing for us to have a mix of older, more experienced people and also younger people who have an interest in our party and politics."