CBC reports that, “Three byelections will be held Nov. 29 for two ridings in Manitoba and one in Vaughan, Ont., Prime Minister Stephen Harper announced Sunday.” In Ontario, Vaughan has been Liberal for 22 years, while in Manitoba, Winnipeg North has beenan NDP stronghold, and Dauphin-Swan River-Marquette has beenConservatives for years.
In Vaughan, “former Ontario Provincial Police commissioner Julian Fantino will be running for the Tories after receiving Harper’s public support last week. The controversial Fantino goes up against NDP candidate Kevin Bordia and Liberal hopeful Tony Genco. Some analysts predict a Liberal loss in Vaughan would be a huge blow for party leader Michael Ignatieff.” As OPP commissioner, Fantino interrupted our canoe flotilla to the G20 summit to scold the media for not wearing life jackets.
In Winnipeg North, the “NDP candidate (is)aboriginal community leader Kevin Chief… He goes up against MLA Kevin Lamoreux for the Liberals and Julie Javier for the Tories.”
In Dauphin, “Robert Sopuck will be running for the Conservatives…”
The calling of these by-elections today has cooled speculation that there will be a general election this fall. This may mean that the next most likely date for a general federal election is sometime this coming spring.
Still, these three by-elections may provide us with opportunities to raise key campaign concerns about CETA, water justice, and climate change. The voting day is the first day of the climate summit in Cancun, Mexico.
The full article is at http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2010/10/24/federal-byelections-announced.html#ixzz13JaeuKRs.
