Candidates in Ottawa Centre may find themselves in need of a phone booth – so that if an election pops up this fall, they can quickly transform into red capes and spandex ready for the campaign trail.
The Ottawa Centre riding promises to be an interesting mix in the next election, with two familiar candidates for the Green Party and NDP and one new Liberal face. At the moment, the Conservatives remain without a candidate.
“We’re always seemingly on standby,” NDP incumbent Paul Dewar says.
Now on his second term in office, Dewar says that with the economy still in limbo, an election is the last thing politicians should be worried about. Instead they should be looking at getting jobs back in the high-tech sector.
“It’s just not seen as having any bearing in reality to be going to the polls right now unless you have a darned good reason,” he says.
Returning Ottawa Centre Green Party candidate Jen Hunter, agrees. She’s already decided that if there were an election this fall, her slogan would read, “This is ridiculous.”
Just in case, candidates are readying for the possibility of an election.
Hunter says the Greens are looking at results from the last election to help prepare for another one. She says she would want to work more with local businesses and see more student involvement in the community this time around.
While Dewar currently holds office, he says he would like to look at the possibility of more infrastructure money for cyclists, and the importance of the arts in the local economy, in the event of an election.
The newest addition to Ottawa Centre’s political landscape, recently nominated Liberal candidate Scott Bradley, is already starting to scope out campaign offices and make sign plans.
He says that he believes he is a strong moderate voice in the area that could potentially attract a broader range of voters than the NDP.
Bradley has worked in government relations in the past, specifically as an advisor to a federal cabinet minister.
His policies include attracting younger people into public service and helping well educated immigrants have an easier time getting work in Canada.
Meanwhile, the Conservative party is still without a declared candidate.
Charlyne McNeil, chair of the riding’s candidate selection committee, says the party is prepared should an election be called, but she’s not sure when they will have someone selected.
There are currently four people seriously considering running, she says, and they are in the process of filling out nomination papers. Until the national party decides to set a nomination date, Ottawa Centre Conservatives will remain without a candidate.
“We just haven’t rushed the process,” McNeil says.
Stephen Harper’s minority government survived its first confidence vote for this parliamentary season on Sept. 18, after Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff withdrew his support for the Conservative government.
Many of the candidates worry that Canadian voters wouldn’t be particularly happy going to the polls right now should the government fall.
In the past, Ottawa Centre’s voter turnout has been quite high. Last year’s election saw 71.5 per cent of Ottawa Centre residents vote compared with the country’s overall record low of 58.8 per cent.
“This could be potentially a fourth election in six years,” says Bradley, “But, that’s the price that you pay for democracy sometimes.”