THE FORESTER, Wednesday, June 27, 2007 A3 Liberals clamber to find candidate for provincial election BY JACQUELINE LAWRENCE can expect as a member of the Liberal caucus.” development projects throughout the region. Repeated calls by this newspaper to the OLP With little more than three months to go Currently, the Liberals are the only party in Many Liberals reportedly resigned from the office for comment have not been returned. before the provincial election, the Parry Sound- Parry Sound-Muskoka to not have a candidate in provincial riding association’s executive follow- During the 2003 provincial election, the Lib- Muskoka provincial Liberal riding association is place for the provincial election. ing the decision. erals put forward a strong showing in Parry still scrambling to find a candidate to represent Incumbent Progressive Conservative MPP “After that, there just wasn’t the support there Sound-Muskoka, nominating Waters almost a the riding, a dilemma that party insiders are announced his intentions to seek re- for the Liberals,” said Laurie Fountain, former year in advance of Election Day. Though Waters blaming on the McGuinty government’s track election early in the year, while both the New provincial riding association president. “It really later lost the election to Miller, he garnered record for all but ignoring the electoral district. Democratic Party and the Green Party held nom- took the wind out of everybody’s sails. almost 35 per cent of the popular vote in the rid- According to riding association spokesperson ination meetings months ago, selecting their Former Parry-Sound Muskoka provincial Lib- ing. Kendra Black, the association is continuing to provincial candidates. eral candidate Dan Waters, who ran against Norm During a 2001 by-election in Parry Sound- talk to several potential candidates in an effort to Sara Hall of Minett will represent the NDP at Miller in 2003, said many party members have Muskoka, sparked by the resignation of former fill the position in the months leading up to the the provincial level this fall, while Glen Hodgson been “in protest” against the McGuinty govern- , then-party leader Oct. 10 provincial election. Black, who has will once again represent the Green Party. ment ever since. Dalton McGuinty even brought the entire 35- reportedly stepped in as interim-president of the According to Liberal insiders, the delay in “We did so because we felt we weren’t getting member Liberal caucus to Huntsville to help rally association in recent weeks, said the party is hop- finding a provincial party candidate stems from the appropriate ear to move Muskoka and Parry voters. ing to have a candidate in place sometime next the McGuinty government’s 2004 decision to Sound’s issues forward,” Waters said. Other gov- Brown and others said they are hopeful the month. remove Parry Sound-Muskoka’s northern Ontario ernment decisions, such as the Liberals’ closure current situation can be resolved so the party can “We’ve talked to a couple of candidates and status. The decision eliminated the district’s abil- of the Leslie Frost centre in Haliburton, only once again gather the necessary steam to earn we’re talking to a couple more,” Black said Mon- ity to access the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund, served to reinforce that sentiment, he said. votes come Election Day. day. “We’re talking about the role, and what they which had helped fund many important economic “There is a problem and Dalton better find a way “When people get disappointed they kind of to address it and start talking to Muskoka.” pull back,” Brown said. “But there is still a strong Evelyn Brown, another former provincial Lib- Liberal spirit here.” eral candidate, said currently, there is no active Brown noted that the riding’s federal Liberal provincial riding association for the party in association just nominated its newest candidate, Parry Sound-Muskoka. Parry Sound resident Jamie McGarvey, during a “It’s really non-existent at this point,” Brown nomination meeting of approximately 200 mem- said Monday. bers. All matters pertaining to the provincial Liber- Asked if the party can recover in time for als have been handled by ’s provincial election day, Brown said, “I wouldn’t (OLP) office up to this point, she said. rule us out.”

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