The NDP riding association for Ottawa Centre is getting ready for a spring election and will hold a nomination meeting at the end of February to select a candidate.
Michael Wiseman, communications officer for the riding association, says the group has tentatively set Feb. 28 for the nomination meeting, but is waiting to hear back from the provincial office soon to confirm a date.
So far, Jennifer McKenzie, Ottawa-Carleton District School Board chairwoman and trustee for Somerset-Kitchissippi, and Alex Cullen, a former Ottawa city councillor and MPP, have declared their intention to seek the NDP nomination. Wiseman says he expects it will be a hotly contested race, with more contenders expected to come forward.
“There has been interest stated, but until anybody says that they’re absolutely in, we’re going to respect their privacy,” says Wiseman.
The riding is currently held by Liberal Yasir Naqvi, president of the Liberal Party of Ontario. Naqvi has held the seat since 2007 and says he intends to run in the next election, whenever that may be. He was re-elected in 2011 by a comfortable majority, one of the few Liberal MPPs who actually increased his share of the vote from the previous election.
McKenzie announced her intent to run earlier this month and says she made the decision to enter now because of the “untenable situation” with the province imposing a labour contract on teachers.
“The teachers came out with a very reasonable opening position and I think the government’s approach has been heavy-handed and has caused relations to just sour between the teachers and the government,” says McKenzie.
As the trustee for the Somerset-Kitchissippi area for the past six years, McKenzie says she has deep roots in the community and a passion for the issues affecting the people of Ottawa Centre.
While education is a top priority for her, McKenzie says there’s also a great deal of work to be done across the board provincially.
“I think there’s been a lot of mismanagement particularly in the education sector, but there have been other scandals, the power plants and the Ornge scandal, and I think this government has run its course,” she says.
Cullen, a former MPP for Ottawa West and Bay ward city councillor, says provincial politics is a natural step from municipal affairs and the anticipated spring election will be opportunity for him to bring his experience to Queen’s Park.
“Being on city council, and being a colleague of Diane Holmes, you’re always dealing with issues affecting the heart of the city. I know the concerns that people have with respect to the quality of education, health care, social housing, and transit in particular,” says Cullen.
Since losing his seat at city council in 2010, Cullen has been working as an aide to Toronto New Democrat MP Mike Sullivan. He says he’s been an active member of the party for more than 12 years.
“I think what I bring in terms of my knowledge of the issues, my knowledge of the community, my experience with the NDP and certainly at the municipal level gives me an advantage in terms of being the best candidate to win back the seat for the NDP,” says Cullen.
“It’s going to take a strong candidate who is on top of the issues, and who the public understands is a fighter for the community and these are qualities I bring to the table,” says Cullen.
Rob Dekker, vice-president of the Centretown Citizens Community Association, and Kevin O’Donnell, were nominated earlier by the Progressive Conservative and Green parties respectively.