Provincial Election

[Lakeofthewood]

Good riddance. The only positive thing she did in all her years was telling Melnyk what he was to his face.

[rocketphish]

Catherine McKenney seeking Ontario NDP nomination in Ottawa Centre
Current MPP Joel Harden seeking federal nomination

CBC News
Posted: Oct 17, 2024 2:17 PM EDT | Last Updated: 9 hours ago

Former Ottawa city councillor and 2022 mayoral candidate Catherine McKenney has announced they want to represent Ottawa Centre for the Ontario New Democratic Party. They made the announcement Thursday.

McKenney was first elected as councillor for Somerset Ward in 2014 and served until 2022 when they launched an unsuccessful bid for mayor. McKenney finished second with 119,241 votes behind Mark Sutcliffe who had 161,679 votes.

McKenney has long been a vocal advocate for Ottawa's downtown and its residents, particularly during the convoy protest in 2022 and the ensuing Emergencies Act inquiry.

In January 2023, they co-founded CitySHAPES, a non-profit organization focused on the broad issue of improving cities, with local activist and former economist Neil Saravanamuttoo.

"I am running to be your next Member of Provincial Parliament because I believe we can continue this important work," McKenney wrote on Instagram.

"We will fight to get the schools our families need, health care we deserve, housing that is affordable, transit that serves us well, and a strong and sustainable province that is focused on you!"

McKenney will need to win the nomination at an NDP nomination meeting. Joel Harden currently represents Ottawa Centre for the NDP. He was elected in 2018 and re-elected in 2022.

In March, Harden announced he had filed papers to seek nomination as a federal NDP candidate, but did not specify which riding.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/ca...dp-nomination-in-ottawa-centre-1.7354880

[rocketphish]

Catherine McKenney to run for Ontario NDP in Ottawa Centre
Former 2-term city councillor ran unsuccessfully for mayor in 2022

CBC News
Posted: Nov 23, 2024 4:54 PM EST | Last Updated: November 23

Former Ottawa city councillor and mayoral candidate Catherine McKenney has been nominated as the Ontario NDP's candidate for Ottawa Centre in the next provincial election.

The news comes a little more than a month after McKenney announced they were turning their attention to provincial politics.

"I care deeply about housing and homelessness. I care deeply about active transportation and transit. I care deeply about affordability and health care and better schools," McKenney said Saturday after securing the party's nomination.

"And as I consider that, I realized that those are all in the purview of provincial government."

McKenney served as city councillor for Somerset Ward from 2014 to 2022.

In 2022, they ran for mayor in what was one of Ottawa's tightest races in years. McKenney finished second with roughly 38 per cent of the vote, behind Mark Sutcliffe who ended up with just over 51 per cent.

In January 2023, McKenney co-founded CitySHAPES, a non-profit organization focused on the broad issue of improving cities.

McKenney's experience will be crucial if the party ends up forming government, said provincial NDP Leader Marit Stiles.

"What Catherine brings to Queen's Park is experience, is energy, and is that kind of fighting spirit that has won so much already and built so much in Ottawa — and particularly in Ottawa Centre," said Stiles, who was in Ottawa for the nomination.

"I think that experience is what we need at Queen's Park, because when we build an NDP government, we're going to need leaders like Cat."

Ottawa Centre has been held provincially by the NDP since 2018, but current MPP Joel Harden has submitted papers to run for the federal NDP in the next election.

The Ontario PC government's four-year mandate does not expire until June 2026, although Premier Doug Ford has already mused about calling an early election.

With files from Isabel Harder and Faith Greco

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/ca...r-ontario-ndp-in-ottawa-centre-1.7391750

[rocketphish]

Osgoode Coun. George Darouze to run for Ontario PCs in Carleton
Riding held by former Progressive Conservative Goldie Ghamari

CBC News
Posted: Dec 09, 2024 1:02 PM EST | Last Updated: December 9

George Darouze, the three-term Ottawa city councillor for the rural ward of Osgoode, will run to represent the area in the next provincial election.

On Sunday, the Progressive Conservatives announced Darouze's successful nomination in the provincial riding of Carleton, touting the infrastructure improvements that have occurred under his watch.

Darouze moved to the Ottawa area from Lebanon in 1990, becoming involved in the telecommunications industry and community groups — particularly around snowmobiling — according to his biography on the city's website.

He was first elected to Ottawa city council in 2014 and was re-elected twice, fending off a tough challenge from former city councillor Doug Thompson in 2022.

Darouze recently pushed back against the city's vacant unit tax and has also opposed councillors approaching developers for voluntary donations.

He was seen texting while driving during a livestream of a city committee meeting in 2020. He later apologized and went to a police station to pay a fine.

Communities such as Metcalfe, Greely and Osgoode make up both the ward and the eastern part of the riding.

Darouze will now be looking to connect with voters west of the Rideau River from Stittsville to Richmond and North Gower.

Opposition leader Pierre Poilievre represents Carleton federally.

The incumbent Member of Provincial Parliament is Goldie Ghamari, twice elected as a Progressive Conservative for the riding but kicked out of caucus earlier this year after meeting with a far-right British activist and anti-Islam campaigner.

Ontario's Liberals have nominated software developer and 2022 mayoral candidate Brandon Bay in Carleton. The NDP and Greens have not announced a candidate.

The next provincial election must be held by June 2026, though there is speculation it will come earlier. Ottawa's next municipal election will be held in October 2026.

City council decides on next steps once a seat becomes vacant.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/george-darouze-ottawa-council-pc-candidate-carleton-1.7405278

[rocketphish]

Doug Ford planning to call Ontario election next Wednesday: source
Move would mean voters go to the polls on Feb. 27

Lane Harrison · CBC News
Posted: Jan 23, 2025 3:08 PM EST | Last Updated: 1 hour ago

Premier Doug Ford is planning to call a provincial election next Wednesday, which would send Ontarians to the polls on Feb. 27, a senior Progressive Conservative source has confirmed to CBC News.

The planned election call would follow months of speculation that Ford wanted to face voters before the fixed 2026 date.

The planned call would come just after Ford's Progressive Conservative candidates meet for a "super caucus" event to discuss strategy for the next provincial election — two government sources have confirmed to CBC News the meeting will be held this weekend.

The meeting will include several strategic updates and information sessions, according to a copy of the invitation obtained by CBC News.

"This meeting will provide you with the tools, training, and resources needed for a winning election campaign," the invitation says. "Your participation is crucial to ensuring a successful campaign and our collective success as a team."

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https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/ford-super-caucus-1.7439752

[rocketphish]

Gotta get re-elected quickly before the federal Cons take over, so that Ontario voters won't get a chance to balance the scales by electing a Liberal or NDP party provincially for up to four more years?

[NOWINYOW]

Originally Posted by rocketphish

Gotta get re-elected quickly before the federal Cons take over, so that Ontario voters won't get a chance to balance the scales by electing a Liberal or NDP party provincially for up to four more years?

At this point in time is there really a difference between any of the parties other than their rhetoric? One says one thing, the others demonize them then turn around and do the same once elected. They're all trash with different banners, signifying nothing.

[rocketphish]

Goldie Ghamari not seeking re-election
MPP for Carleton was ousted from the Progressive Conservative caucus last year

Guy Quenneville · CBC News
Posted: Jan 31, 2025 12:08 PM EST | Last Updated: 5 hours ago

Goldie Ghamari, the two-time MPP for Ottawa's Carleton riding whose second term saw her ousted from the Progressive Conservative caucus, is not running for re-election in the 2025 provincial election.

Ghamari made the announcement in a statement posted to X on Friday morning, three days into the campaign.

She won the Carleton riding for the PCs in 2018 and 2022 with about 50 per cent of the vote, but was removed from the party caucus last year after meeting with a far-right British activist and anti-Islam campaigner. She then sat as an Independent.

Her departure from the race guarantees voters in Carleton will see a new face in office after polls close on Feb. 27.

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https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/goldie-ghamari-not-seeking-re-election-1.7447223

[rocketphish]

Ottawa elects 3 new faces including an extra Liberal MPP
Tyler Watt, Catherine McKenney and George Darouze headed to Queen's Park

Guy Quenneville · CBC News
Posted: Feb 28, 2025 4:00 AM EST | Last Updated: 5 hours ago

Ottawans elected three new faces to the provincial legislature on Thursday, one of whom helped the Liberal Party of Ontario grab an extra seat at Queen's Park.

When the election was called, the Liberals held only nine seats across the entire province, and four of those were held by Ottawa Liberal MPPs.

The party retained that quartet of seats on Thursday but also secured a fifth one in the formerly Conservative riding of Nepean thanks to Tyler Watt, a health-care worker.

Watt succeeds Lisa MacLeod of the Progressive Conservatives, who announced in September she wouldn't be running again in her longtime riding.

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https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/ot...including-an-extra-liberal-mpp-1.7470593