Six in race to replace MP Tilson as federal election gets underway

Written By MIKE BAKER

It's official – the 2019 Canadian federal election is officially underway, and things are starting to hot up here in Dufferin-Caledon.

It was announced this week that Allison Brown would serve as the NDP candidate in the local riding, taking the number of names on the ballot to six as of press time. Little is known of Ms. Brown – with no background or information provided in the NDP's announcement. In the 2014 municipal election, she sought the Ward 9 & 10 seat in Brampton, but was ultimately unsuccessful. 

Stefan Wiesen was the first individual confirmed to be on the ballot come Oct. 21. The Orangeville resident will represent the Green Party in the election. Mr. Wiesen has been on the campaign trail since early May, and believes Dufferin-Caledon is “a riding the Green Party can win”, following a strong showing in last year's provincial election, when his daughter Laura Campbell finished third with 7,011 votes.

Liberal candidate Michele Fisher was the next to confirm her spot on the ballot, running unopposed. She will seek to win back a riding that has bled Tory blue for the past two decades. Speaking to the Citizen earlier this year, Ms. Fisher said she hopes to be able to bring about movement on increased access to high-speed internet for rural residents, helping to drive the economy, while also focusing on climate change. 

After losing out to Andrew Scheer in the Conservatives' leadership race back in 2017, Maxime Bernier vowed to continue fighting for the “average Canadian” – eventually launching the People's Party of Canada. Car salesman Chad Ransom will represent the upstart party in Dufferin-Caledon. Earlier this summer, Mr. Ransom vowed his party would “make life affordable once again” for Canada's middle class if elected.

The Conservative Party was in complete disarray at the turn of the year. Incumbent David Tilson announced his retirement and a first nomination meeting held to determine his replacement was botched, with the initial winner, Harzadan Khattra, later disqualified after the Party's head office determined his campaign had breached several bylaws and regulations. A second nomination was eventually organized, with former Brampton West MP Kyle Seeback emerging as the victor. With a platform largely based on “getting Canada back on track”, Mr. Seeback will be hoping to stretch the Conservatives' record to seven successive victories for the federal Dufferin-Caledon riding. 

Russ Emo will represent the Christian Heritage Party in the upcoming election. According to a posting on the party's website, Mr. Emo has been working in the insurance industry for the past 20 years and “understands the needs and struggles of families”, believing the current Liberal government is putting its own interests ahead of the country's. 

The federal election will take place on Oct. 21.