Wednesday, May 5, 2010

Tories drop Guergis in Simcoe-Grey

http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20100505/helena-guergis-riding-conservatives-100505/20100505/?hub=TopStoriesV2

Guergis has officially lost the Tory nomination in Simcoe-Grey. She, along with every other Tory MP, was automatically re-nominated last year. So far, 4 potential candidates have come up:

-Kellie Leitch, a Toronto surgeon and director of the Health Sector MBA program at the University of Western Ontario's Richard Ivey School of Business with strong ties to the Ontario Tory establishment. Her potential appointment as a candidate has caused friction between Tory HQ and the EDA. The party says they won't appoint her, and Leitch has said she "has no intention of being a candidate", however, both these statements came before Guergis lost the nomination.

-New Tecumseth mayor Mike MacEachern is said he was "not ruling out the idea" of going after the nomination should it become available. He has served two terms of mayor.

-Also from New Tecumseth, Ward 5 councillor Jess Prothero, who has given it "serious consideration".

-Blue Mountains mayor Ellen Anderson is mentioned here (http://www.madhunt.com/wilson-no-comment-20100428.htm) as a potential entry into the race. Her running to replace Guergis would be ironic considering the green energy dealing Rahim Jaffer had with help from Guergis, and Anderson seconded a motion against wind farm development and the provincial Green Energy Act for Grey County. (http://www.owensoundsuntimes.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=2564394) It's worth noting that the motion endorsed the junk science position taken by the Ontario PC Party against the "health risks" of wind power (which no independent study has ever found)

-Chris Carrier, mayor of Collingwood, has a "rumoured interest" in the nomination.

-Tory MPP Jim Wilson has apparently come up as a potential candidate, and says ""I'm obviously flattered by the suggestion,but I have not commented on the issue to date." It is worth noting that Wilson has already been nominated by the Ontario PC's for the 2011 election.

Given that members of the EDA have publically backed Guergis, it will be interesting to see if see considers an independent run.

2 comments:

Kyle H. said...

I doubt Guergis will go as an independent. She's pretty much dried up as a politician, at least for now.

I wonder if this is a sign that the Conservatives might be expecting an election fairly soon, and are preparing. And by soon, I mean, in a weeks time when they decide the flaunt the Speaker's ruling and go to an election.

Anonymous said...

Bye Bye Guergis.

Jess Prothero has my vote. Go Jess!