Canadian federal election - 2015

[Hatman 🍁]

Ha! There are no famous Canadian cricketers. A coup nonetheless, considering I'm not aware of any athletes who have ever run for the NDP.

There was also Mad Dog Vachon the pro wrestler who ran with "equipe Broadbent" for the NDP in Brome-Mississquoi in 1988 and Bruce Kidd the olympic track and field star ran for the ONDP in 1971 and was active in the Waffle movement. Also Emery Barnes was a former pro football player for the BC Lions who became a BC NDP MLA and eventually speaker of the BC legislature and his daughter Contance is running next year in Vancouver Centre. I think there is also a Manitoba NDP MLA who was once in the NHL too.

On the female side I seem to recall the NDP running a female Olympian in vancouver Centre in 1993 against Kim Campbell.

Thanks DL,

I knew there must have been some, and was secretly hoping you would give me a list. Still though, it is rather short compared to the other parties.

[Hatman 🍁]

It's strange that Canada never took to cricket, unlike the other Dominions...

We did! As I said, it was the most popular sport in Canada in the 19th Century.

I knew there must have been some, and was secretly hoping you would give me a list. Still though, it is rather short compared to the other parties.

Is it? I honestly can't think of all that many pro athletes in Canadian politics period. Not from any party.

There's quite a few actually: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Canadian_sportsperson-politicians

There's not many NDPers on that list. (probably the only one's on the list were the one's you named that I just added [FTR it appears it wasn't Mad Dog who ran for the NDP, it was his brother Paul who ran])

[Hatman 🍁]

In the end, the NDP did nominate (acclaimed) the cricket player, KM Shanthikumar. Not sure how well known he can possibly be, but I found his cricket bio here: http://www.espncricinfo.com/canada/content/player/23857.html

Next up: The Liberals will hold their nomination meeting in Hull-Aylmer, Quebec tomorrow. There are three candidates looking to take back this former Liberal stronghold: Former Gatineau mayor Yves Ducharme, former national Young Liberals president Greg Fergus and Gatineau city councillor Maxime Tremblay. On Sunday, the NDP nominated the riding's incumbent, Nycole Turmel (former interim leader). Interestingly, Tremblay and Turmel have already faced off against each other, as they were in a very close city council race in 2009, with Tremblay winning by 96 votes.

[Hatman 🍁]

I'm surprised baseball Hall-of-Famer Fergie Jenkins isn't on that list.  He finished a poor third for the Ontario Liberals in Windsor-Riverside in the 1985 provincial election.  My friend has stories about trying to prep him for all-candidate debates.

Good one, I've added him. Yet another athlete to not run for the NDP. Was he a particularly bad candidate? I'm surprised at how poorly he did, considering he is one of the best Canadian baseball players ever.

[Hatman 🍁]

Surprisingly, the Liberals selected the least well known candidate in Hull-Aylmer, Greg Fergus. His campaign did seem well organized, and was probably Trudeau's favourite. Still a big deal defeating a former mayor and a sitting city councillor.

Fergus I assume is an Anglo, but he was raised in Montreal. His parents are from the Caribbean (not sure of which island). This may hurt him in the riding, which despite the name, is still a majority francophone (especially Hull).

Tonight, there are two nomination meetings:

-The NDP will re-nominate the incumbent MP in Vaudreuil-Soulanges, QC, Jamie Nicholls. The Tories have already nominated their 2011 candidate in the riding, lawyer Marc Boudreau.
-The Liberals will nominate by acclamation army reservist Harjit Singh Sajjan in Vancouver South, BC. This was the race where there was quite some controversy, where Liberal members of the Sikh community protested the disqualification of their favoured candidate  businessman Barjinder Singh Dhahan. Sajjan has been backed by the World Sikh Organization, and backers of Dahan are claiming the Liberals have been "hijacked" by the WSO. The Tories have already nominated the incumbent MP in this riding, Wai Young.

[Hatman 🍁]

Coalition is a dirty word in Canadian politics, so that's not going to happen. If the Liberals finish 2nd but win the popular vote, you may see an Ontario 1985-style pact between the Liberals and NDP. Otherwise, Harper would probably resign as Prime Minister, and we'll be back to the polls as soon as we have a new Prime Minister.

[Hatman 🍁]

The NDP could do OK as a coalition party or minority supporter if they keep labour on board (and govern well).

I think most in the labour movement in this country would be positively giddy about the possibility of a coalition.

[Hatman 🍁]

It's the weekend, which means a whole slew of nominations.

Here's what's up today:

*Mississauga-Erin Mills, ON: There are a total of 7 candidates running for the Liberal nomination here. It's a big deal, as the riding is a potential pick up for the Grits. The Tories have already nominated the MP for Misissauga-Erindale (the predecessor riding), Rob Dechert.
*Nipissing-Timiskaming, ON: The NDP is holding their nomination in this riding, and it is between Kat Jodouin and Cat Murton Stoehr. The riding was really close in 2011, with the Tories winning it, but a slight boundary change has made it a notional Liberal seat. The Tories have already nominated the incumbent MP, Jay Aspin, and the Liberals have nominated Anthony Rota, who was the MP before losing in 2011.
*Thunder Bay-Superior North, ON: The Greens will be acclaiming the MP for this riding, Bruce Hyer, who was elected as a New Democrat in 2011 before crossing the floor. The Liberals have already nominated Patty Hajdu, a director of a homeless shelter.
*Calgary Shepard, AB: The NDP will be acclaiming IT professional Dany Allard in this new riding in the suburban southeast corner of Calgary. The Tories have already nominated a candidate, Tom Kmiec (former aide to Jason Kenney) who will no doubt become the next MP here.
*Cariboo-Prince George, BC: The Tories are holding their nomination here to find a replacement for MP Dick Harris, who will be retiring. There are three candidates,  Nick Fedorkiew, Shari Green and Todd Doherty.
*Surrey-Newton, BC: The Liberals will be holding their nomination today in this new riding. The favourite has to be Sukh Dhaliwal who was the MP for Newton-North Delta before losing in 2011. He is running against Randeep Singh Sarai. The NDP has already nominated the MP for Newton-North Delta, Jinny Sims, who defeated Dhaliwal in 2011.

[Hatman 🍁]

Interesting.

Iqra Khalid, a legal professional and Pakistani immigrant won the Liberal nomination in Mississauga-Erin Mills. She won on the first ballot, which is surprising, since there was seven candidates.

Kathleen Jodouin, a community development coordinator, won the NDP nomination in Nipissing-Timiskaming.

[Hatman 🍁]

Not surprisingly, former MP Sukh Dhaliwal was nominated in Surrey-Newton for the Liberals. Manager Todd Doherty won the nod for the Tories in Cariboo-Prince George.

Nominations today:

*Gatineau, QC: Liberals will pick between Steve Mackninnon and Pierre Samson to run in this riding that is held by former Liberal Francoise Boivin of the NDP.
*Jonquiere, QC: The Liberals will acclaim Melanie Boucher to run. She was the CAQ candidate in Jonquiere in the recent Quebec provincial election. The NDP have already nominated Karine Trudel, who is the president of the Union of Canada Post Employees. The incumbent MP is Claude Patry, who was elected as a New Democrat, but joined the Bloc.
*Beaches-East York, ON: There is a four-way race for the Liberal nod in this NDP-held riding. This is big pick up opportunity for the Grits. The NDP have already nominated the incumbent, Matthew Kellway and the Tories have nominated businessman Bill Burrows, who was the candidate for the party in 2011.
*Abbotsford, BC: The NDP will acclaim labour unionist Jennifer Martel. The Tories have already nominated the incumbent, Ed Fast.
*Central Okanagan-Similkameen-Nicola, BC. The Liberals hold their nomination meeting in this new riding, but no word on the candidates. The Tories have already nominated the incumbent MP for Oakanagan-Coquihalla, Dan Albas.

[Hatman 🍁]

Lawyer Nate Erskine-Smith wins the Liberal nod in Beaches-East York

[Hatman 🍁]

Administrator Steve MacKinnon was chosen by the Liberals to run in Gatineau. He was their candidate in 2011.

Karley Scott, a Metis lawyer won the Liberal nomination in Central Okanagan-Similkameen-Nicola.

Today: The NDP will acclaim their candidate in Gatineau, Fancoise Boivin, who is the incumbent.  She will take on Mackinnon in what could likely be an NDP-Liberal race.

[Hatman 🍁]

Perhaps the media will change the rules to exclude parties that do no run a full slate. I think Elizabeth May has earned her right to be in the debate at this point.

[Hatman 🍁]

Today is the Liberal nomination in Calgary Rocky Ridge, AB, a new suburban riding in the northwest corner of Calgary. CBC News Anchor Nirmala Naidoo has to be the favourite against Qamar Khan. The Conservatives will name their candidate at a further date, but have 5 candidates running so far in this safe Tory corner of the city.

[Hatman 🍁]

Nirmala Naidoo wins the Liberal nomination in Calgary Rocky Ridge.

Tonight is the Liberal nomination in Ajax, ON. Former Pickering-Ajax MP Mark Holland will be acclaimed. He lost to Tory Chris Alexander in 2011, and will face him again in 2015 in the re-drawn riding, as the Tories have already nominated the incumbent.

[Hatman 🍁]

Yesterday was the Liberal nomination in the new riding of Burnaby South, BC. Banker Adam Pankratz defeated Ken Beck Lee to win the nod. The NDP have already nominated the incumbent from Burnaby-Douglas, Kennedy Stewart. Burnaby-Douglas is being divided into Burnaby North-Seymour and Burnaby South, and Stewart chose to run in the safer riding, as Burnaby North-Seymour is a notional Tory seat.

Tonight is the Liberal nomination in Yellowhead, AB where we just had a by-election. The Liberals will acclaim their by-election candidate, Ryan Heinz Maguhn tonight. Tory MP Jim Eglinsky gets to automatically be the Conservative candidate because he won the by-election. The Libertarians have also nominated a candidate, Cory Lystang.

[Hatman 🍁]

The last nomination meeting of the year will be on Monday in Whitby, ON, where the Liberals will be nominating Celina Caesar-Chavennes, who was their by-election candidate in Whitby-Ajax. By virtue of winning that by-election, the Conservative candidate will be former Whitby mayor Pat Perkins, so there will be a rematch. 

[Hatman 🍁]

Thanks Adam, very interesting.

[Hatman 🍁]

What a wonderful Christmas present, Smid!

[Hatman 🍁]

Yes, and they had a by-election on the day before Canada Day. You don't want to know how low the turnout was for that.

[Hatman 🍁]

Today was the first nomination meeting of the new year. The NDP acclaimed radio personality/author Ethan Rabidoux as their candidate in Perth-Middlesex, ON.  The MP for this riding, Gary Schellenberger will be retiring. The Tories have already nominated West Perth township councillor John Nater, and the Liberals have already nominated St. Marys town councillor Stephen McCotter.

[Hatman 🍁]

Wow, big news if it happens. Never heard of this Getachew person, though, so I doubt the credibility behind it.

St. Paul's is a fairly progressive riding, but has been left wing enough to give the NDP favourable numbers.

[Hatman 🍁]

Teddy is obviously on some sort of drug. Our polling doesn't show "Others" at a statistically significant percentage anywhere in Quebec, though we have yet to probe F+D by name.

[Hatman 🍁]

Teddy is obviously on some sort of drug. Our polling doesn't show "Others" at a statistically significant percentage anywhere in Quebec, though we have yet to probe F+D by name.

Indeed. Best case scenario for F et D is winning Fortin's seat off his personal vote.

Quebec MPs rarely have much of a "personal vote".

[Hatman 🍁]

CRA, Atlantic-wide: 55/26/16.

Watch out Megan Leslie. She'd lose by a hefty margin based on those numbers.

This poll was conducted in November? lol