Arnold to lobby for communities at provincial level

By Bonnie Van Toen

Elisabeth Arnold has ended weeks of speculation and announced she will seek the Ottawa Centre NDP nomination for the next provincial election.

The Somerset city councillor joins education activist John Crump in the contest to be decided at a nomination meeting Jan. 26.

Arnold announced her decision at a news conference in front of the Plant Bath at Preston and Somerset streets last week.

“I am making my announcement here in front of the Plant Bath because there is no better illustration of the impact of the Harris government agenda than this crumbling public facility.”

Arnold blamed the lack of money for renovations on the “Harris government’s obsession with income tax cuts to the wealthy and a blind eye to community needs.”

Before her announcement, Arnold repeatedly said it was becoming increasingly difficult to deal with her constituents’ concerns because of numerous policy changes by the province.

The provincial government’s Common Sense Revolution has focused on making major changes in areas such as health care, education and municipal-provincial relations and responsibilities.

Ottawa Centre is currently held by former Liberal cabinet minister Richard Patten, who, so far, is unopposed for his party’s nomination.

Crump isn’t sweating over going head-to-head with Arnold.

“I think it would be good for the riding association to have a contested nomination,” says Crump.
“It’s the first time I’ve been a candidate so I’m finding this very exciting.”

Crump says the main issues of the next election will be education, health care and the environment.
“For me, there’s a fundamental issue of social justice,” says Crump.

“Mike Harris has helped politicize people who have never been politicized before.”

Arnold echoes Crump. She says communities have been hurt by recent provincial changes.

“We see the impact of that in Centretown, where you see people panhandling where they weren’t before,” says Arnold.

No date has been set for either the Liberal or Progressive Conservative nominations.

Barbara Corkum, president of the Ottawa Centre Progressive Conservative riding association, says a “high-profile” candidate is considering running for the Conservative nomination.

Although she wouldn’t reveal who, she expects an announcement early in December.

Corkum adds that such a candidate could prove a boon for Conservatives.

“It traditionally hasn’t been a riding where the Conservatives have done well, but we’re hoping to change that.”

A provincial election date could come as early as spring.