Elizabeth Smith-McCrossin

In July 2018, Smith-McCrossin was criticized when a former constituency office employee spoke out against the way she was treated while working for her. After the issue was reviewed by the Nova Scotia Human Rights commission, the complaint was deemed uncredible.[12]

In February 2020, during the 2020 Canadian pipeline and railway protests, McCrossin tweeted: “The rail blockades must be removed today. Businesses are being affected in Cumberland North and layoffs are coming soon for many if they are not removed immediately,” said the MLA at the time, calling those blockades “illegal”.[13]

On June 22, 2021, Smith-McCrossin incited and participated in a blockade of the Trans-Canada Highway in protest to the ongoing closures of the border. The protest was held at exit 7, 43 kilometres from the border on an off ramp. This led to her being kicked out of the Progressive Conservative caucus and barred from running for the party in future elections. Nova Scotia Progressive Conservative leader Tim Houston said "As colleagues for the past four years, I owed her an opportunity to explain her actions, and the efforts she took to conceal those actions from her caucus colleagues. Unfortunately, Ms. Smith-McCrossin refused to acknowledge any wrongdoing and — when explicitly asked by her caucus — refused to apologize to Nova Scotians."[14]

In April 2023, Smith-McCrossin stated that a woman who once worked in her constituency office was persuaded into signing a non-disclosure agreement with the Progressive Conservative caucus when she worked there in 2018. MLA and Minister Karla MacFarlane brought forward a motion to expel Smith-McCrossin from the Nova Scotia House of Assembly, but the government later backed down.[15] Smith-McCrossin is pursuing legal action.[16]