By Alyssa Noel
All four of the national political parties have nominated Ottawa Centre candidates to run in an election that could come as early as this fall.
Liberal candidate Richard Mahoney and Green party candidate David Chernushenko lost to the NDP’s Ed Broadbent in the 2004 federal election. In interviews, both confirmed they will be running in the coming election.
Chernushenko said he stands a better chance of winning now that Broadbent has announced his retirement because he was such a popular candidate. “Ed’s victory was a victory for Ed, not the NDP,” he said.
Mahoney said now candidates can focus on the issues. “With Mr. Broadbent out of the race it will be about what [we] can bring to the table,” he said.
The popular NDP MP won 41 per cent of the votes (25,734 votes) in 2004. First-time candidate Paul Dewar will run for the NDP in the riding come the next election.
In an interview, Dewar said he plans to “build on the foundation” Broadbent has laid.
He has already been out canvassing the riding on his own, as well as with NDP leader Jack Layton. “I like the idea of getting out before an election when you have time to talk to people,” he said.
Mahoney said he also started canvassing after “‘the election that didn’t happen’ last June.”
Keith Fountain will be another new name on the ballot. Fountain replaces Mike Murphy as the Conservative candidate. Fountain said the fact that there is no incumbent puts him, and the other candidates, at an advantage.
The candidates agreed this will make the election less predictable.
“People have to look a little more carefully [at the candidates],” Dewar said.
Fountain also said past voting statistics in the riding make him confident that he will fare well.
“Historically, the Conservative vote in this riding has always been really strong. In fact, we’ve always come in second after the Liberals,” he said. “All we have to do is convince a few people to switch from Liberal to us and we have a real shot.”
In the last election, the Conservatives placed third with 19 per cent, or 11, 933 votes. They fell behind the Liberals who came in second with 31 per cent and 19,478 votes. The Green Party trailed in fourth place at 7.5 per cent and 4,730 votes.
Those numbers could soon be challenged if the Conservatives and the NDP decide to defeat the Liberals and force a fall election. Dewar said this might happen if the Liberals reintroduce their corporate tax cut bill.
“If they are backtracking on budget commitments, people might want an election,” he said.
Chernushenko disagreed. “I don’t think Canadians want an election that soon,” he said. “I would prefer to see the Gomery report in full.”
The first report, which will attempt to assign responsibility for mismanagement and corruption in the $250 million sponsorship program, will be released on Nov. 1.
The Liberals have promised to call an election 30 days after the second report, expected in February, which will suggest ways to make government more accountable. That would set the course for a spring election.