Continuing our look at Ontario nomination news, we pick up just south of Toronto...

Golden Horseshoe:

• St. Catharines, ON - A reader got in touch to let us know that the Liberal candidate search in this riding identified municipal councillor and firefighter Andrew Gill, who is expected to be acclaimed at a nomination meeting this coming Tuesday, September 22. The riding is currently represented by two-term Conservative M.P. Rick Dykstra, who narrowly defeated former Liberal M.P. Walt Lastewka in 2006, but went on to increase both his raw vote and vote share in 2008. The Green Party is listing Jennifer Mooradian as their candidate, although I do not have any information as to when she was nominated, or whether that was contested (but if anyone knows, could they please get in touch, so I can add her name to the database).
  
• Niagara Falls, ON - Thanks to another reader for sending along this report from the Niagara Falls Review, saying that 2008 candidate Joyce Morocco has had to withdraw from the contested Liberal nomination to look after a sick family member, leaving lawyer Bev Hodgson as the only candidate for their nomination meeting, which has now been called for Wednesday, September 23. Hodgson will be facing five-term Conservative M.P. Rob Nicholson (two of the terms are from 1984-1993 and not in this database as yet), along with renominated Green Party candidate Shawn Willick. The NDP has yet to announce its nomination plans for this riding.
  
• Welland, ON - A political newcomer has won the 3-way contest for the Conservative nomination in this riding. Businesswoman Leanne Villella defeated St. Catharines regional councillor Bruce Timms and 2008 candidate Alfred Kiers (who had previously run for the Christian Heritage Party) on the second ballot, with some 350 party members voting. Villella will now face former Liberal M.P. John Maloney who was renominated earlier this spring, and first-time NDP M.P. Malcolm Allen who is set to be renominated this coming Saturday, September 26, with party leader Jack Layton in attendance. The riding is in the sights of all three parties, given its status as the second closest 3-way race of the last election. Thanks to several readers for keeping us up-to-date with all the clippings from this riding.
  

Southwestern Ontario:

• Brant, ON - We received this Brantford Expositor news story from another reader, announcing the candidacy of clinical children's social worker Marc Laferriere for the NDP in this riding. Laferriere said that he decided to join the NDP after hearing leader Jack Layton speak at a campus town hall meeting at the University of Ottawa 5 years ago, much like the series of campus events Layton held this past week before Parliament returned. No word as yet whether Laferriere will be contested, or when the meeting will be held. The riding changed hands in the last election, falling to first-time Conservative M.P. Phil McColeman, who defeated two-term Liberal M.P. Lloyd St.-Amand. St.-Amand is back for another try, having been renominated in mid-June. The Green Party has also named Nora Fueten its candidate, meaning that once the NDP candidate is officially nominated, the riding will have a full slate of major party candidates.
• London – Fanshawe, ON - I am still trying to track down the result of the Wednesday, September 16 Liberal nomination in this riding, and am calling on readers for help. We know from the London Free Press of the other week that city councillor Roger Caranci had announced his intention to run, and reported last June that Jacquie Gauthier was interested in running again as well. Area Conservatives recently acclaimed Jim Chahbar, and two-term NDP M.P. Irene Mathyssen was also renominated at the beginning of September. No Green candidate has surfaced here as yet though.
  
• London North Centre, ON - This is the only London-area riding still missing a Conservative candidate, reports the London Free Press, although hotel marketing director Susan Truppe and lawyer Chris Taucar are apparently preparing nomination campaigns. The riding is currently held by two-term Liberal M.P. Glen Pearson. No NDP or Green candidate had been identified either when the Free Press story was written.
  
• London West, ON - With first-time Conservative M.P. Ed Holder and recently victorious Liberal candidate Doug Ferguson selected, it will be the NDP's turn to pick a candidate here, and the Free Press reports that 2008 candidate Peter Ferguson (unsure if any relation) is set to run again, which could make for a confusing ballot come election day.
• Windsor – Tecumseh, ON - A financial advisor, Pat Brough, was selected by Liberals this past Thursday, September 17 to represent her party against four-term NDP M.P. Joe Comartin, reported the Windsor Star. Comartin was renominated the Thursday before, and they both now join returning Conservative candidate Denise Ghanam who was acclaimed at the beginning of June.
• Windsor West, ON - An alert poster on the Babble board found this Facebook group for someone who is becoming my favourite independent running as a Liberal candidate of the election, Edy Haddad, the "love candidate" ... or to be more precise, the "♥♥♥THE LOVE REVOLUTION♥♥♥" candidate. Young Mr. Haddad is a strong advocate of peace in his native Lebanon, and wants to "save Windsor" by "creating jobs now" and ending the "media blackout". Haddad will be sharing the love with four-term NDP M.P. Brian Masse, renominated 2008 Conservative candidate Lisa Lumley, and a loving Liberal Green to be named later. Never be cynical folks; we'll get through the Parliamentary deadlock if we can just remember all you need is love. [UPDATE: On further reading of Mr. Haddad's Facebook group, it appears he is running for the Liberal nomination, not as an independent. No meeting date appears to have been set as yet.]
  
• Lambton – Kent – Middlesex, ON - Two municipal councillors, Emery Huszka and Ken Filson, are vying for the Liberal nomination in this rural riding, reports the Chatham Daily News, although no meeting date has been set as yet according to the Chatham-Kent Daily Post. Meanwhile 2008 NDP candidate Joe Hill is prepared to run again, but the retired Nortel worker and small business owner doesn't think an election is warranted, reports the Sarnia Observer, even though area New Democrats will proceed with a nomination meeting within a few weeks. The riding is now held by two-term Conservative M.P. Bev Shipley, who narrowly lost to former Liberal M.P. Rose-Marie Ur in 2004, but took the riding on her retirement in 2006 and was re-elected in 2008 over former Liberal candidate Jeff Wesley with over 50% of the vote.
  
• Sarnia – Lambton, ON - The contested Liberal nomination in this riding between 2008 candidate Tim Fugard and municipal councillor Anne Marie Gillis will come to a conclusion this coming Monday, September 21. Meanwhile, the NDP is excited about its new candidate, Crissy Sinopole, a Chippewa woman from the Aajiwnaang First Nation who is a native liaison worker at the Inn of the Good Shepherd, and was acclaimed this past Wednesday, September 16. The riding is currently held by two-term Conservative M.P. Pat Davidson, who won it with exactly 50% of the vote last time around, as the Liberals fell to third place.
  

Central and Northern Ontario:

• Dufferin – Caledon, ON - Former Conservative-turned-Liberal M.P. Garth Turner is now officially in the running for the Liberal nomination in this riding, and is so far unchallenged for a nomination meeting that's yet to be scheduled. The riding is currently held by three-term Conservative M.P. Dave Tilson, who has been returned handily since narrowly defeating former Liberal M.P. Murray Calder in 2004. Already renominated is 2008 Green Party candidate Ard Van Leeuwen.
  
• Haliburton – Kawartha Lakes – Brock, ON - Businesswomen and municipal councillor Pat Warren was acclaimed this past Thursday, September 17 as the Liberal candidate in this riding, reports MyKawartha.com. She was followed two days later by recent provincial by-election candidate Lyn Edwards, who was to be acclaimed earlier today as the federal NDP candidate, according to the Lindsay Post. The two women will now face three-term Conservative M.P. Barry Devolin, who obtained 56% of the vote in the last election.
  
• Parry Sound – Muskoka, ON - The NDP in this riding has identified one potential candidate, Diana Allen, who stepped in at the last minute in 2008 to replace her party's candidate in neighbouring Nipissing – Timiskaming, ON, reports ParrySound.com, and will likely hold their nomination meeting within the month. If nominated, Allen would join Shawn Pudsey who won a contest for the Liberal nomination in late August, and two-term Conservative M.P. Tony Clement who took the riding with just over 50% of the vote last time out.
  
• Thunder Bay – Rainy River, ON - Further north, Conservatives are apparently "in no rush" to name a candidate, reports TBNewsWatch.com, although they are working to put a candidate in place soon in order to build up name recognition, and know that 2008 candidate Richard Neumann has ruled himself out for another run this time. Former Liberal M.P. Ken Boshcoff was renominated by acclamation in late June, while first-time NDP M.P. John Rafferty is expected to be renominated by acclamation during a 3-day, 3-city nomination process taking place Monday to Wednesday of the coming week. The Green Party is also actively searching for candidates in both Thunder Bay ridings.
  

In addition, a few other nomination meetings not mentioned above have also recently been posted at the Ontario Federal Liberal party website:

• Oakville, ON - Tuesday, September 22 - 4-way contest between Connie Laurin-Bowie, Max Khan, Mary Chapin, and Darla Campbell
• Nickel Belt, ON - Friday, September 25 - no candidate information at present
  

Now, no sooner have we wrapped up this update, than we'll need to start another one to wrap up the rest of the news from coast-to-coast. Hopefully by that point we'll be all up-to-date, once again.

Labels: 41st General Election Nominations, Conservatives, Greens, Liberals, NDP