Chronicle Herald: New MLA a student of NDP’s Preyra
Sunday, July 11th, 2010
New Liberal MLA Zach Churchill will see a familiar face from the classroom in the legislature.
The Saint Mary’s University alumnus, 26, joins his old political science professor, New Democrat Leonard Preyra, at Province House.
Preyra, a nemesis of Liberals at the public accounts committee, was among those at the swearing-in last week, where he congratulated his former student.
“He was very much a political animal,” Preyra said of the former student association president, who went on to lead a national student organization.
As for words of wisdom, Preyra said he told Churchill that legislators can be adversarial in public, but a lot of constructive work gets done behind the scenes, so it would be wise to build bridges with other MLAs and groups around the province.
Oh, and one other thing.
“You also throw out everything you learned in politics class because the practice of politics is very different from the theory of politics,” said Preyra, laughing. “I can say that to him now.”