Cabinet ministers flock to Liberal stronghold ahead of Toronto byelection
Byelection will feature longest-ever federal ballot, with 84 candidates
Cabinet ministers are spending a lot of time in a key Toronto riding ahead of a byelection later this month — part of an attempt by the Liberals to hang on to a party stronghold as the Conservative Party rides high in the polls.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and at least 13 of his ministers have dropped into Toronto-St. Paul's to campaign on behalf of Liberal candidate Leslie Church, a former political staffer, ahead of the June 24 vote.
Those ministers include Greater Toronto Area representatives like Chrystia Freeland and Anita Anand, along with ministers from more far-flung ridings such as Harjit Sajjan and François-Philippe Champagne.
Toronto-St. Paul's was once considered a bellwether riding but has been a Liberal stronghold since the 1990s. Former cabinet minister (and current ambassador to Denmark) Carolyn Bennett held the riding from 1997 to 2024; she won by roughly eight percentage points in the 2011 election, when the federal Liberals were relegated to the third party in the House of Commons with just 34 seats.
Don Stewart is challenging the seat for the Conservatives. The NDP has nominated Amrit Parhar, Christian Cullis is the Green candidate and the People's Party of Canada candidate is Dennis Wilson.
Polling expert Philippe Fournier of 338Canada told CBC's Power & Politics last week that despite the Liberals' strong results in 2021 — when Bennett won over half of the vote — they risk losing the riding in this byelection.
"We should consider this riding as a tossup, with a slight lean to the Liberals," he said. "Of course there's some uncertainty in the numbers, but we expect the Liberals to win by a margin of between four and eight points."
Fournier warned that those assumptions depend on the Liberals being able to turn out their vote, which could be a challenge in a summer byelection campaign. He said the recent Mississauga-Lakeshore byelection, in which less than 30 per cent of eligible voters took part, might suggest the likely turnout in Toronto-St. Paul's.
The Liberals have won all 25 ridings in Toronto in last three general elections. Fournier said a loss in Toronto-St. Paul's would be significant.
"If they are now not able to hold on to the 416 base, it could spell a lot of trouble for the leadership of the Liberals and it would be very difficult to see Mr. Trudeau be able to stay on as leader if they lose Toronto," he said.
84 candidates on the ballot, a federal record
Beyond the political messages being pushed out by the campaigns, voters in Toronto-St. Paul's will also have to contend with what Elections Canada has confirmed is the longest ballot in the history of federal politics.
Elections Canada is using a two-column ballot to accommodate all 84 candidates contesting the byelection.
The massive candidate list is the result of an organized campaign by the group Longest Ballot Committee, which organizes candidates to flood elections as a way of raising awareness about electoral reform.
"Voters in the Toronto-St. Paul's byelection are in for a good chuckle at the polling booth, and perhaps a moment to reflect on how our democracy and MPs could be made to better serve all Canadians," said Kieran and Tomas Szuchewycz, organizers with the group, in a press release.
Glen MacDonald, one of the candidates on the ballot affiliated with Longest Ballot Committee, told CBC News that the ballot would be "impossible to ignore."
"It's important to understand that it's not just a couple of guys poking around and having fun with the voting system. This is a serious protest happening," he said. The aim is to raise awareness and spark a broader national conversation about electoral reform, he said.
The Toronto-St. Paul's byelection represents the second time MacDonald has been on a ballot as part of the Longest Ballot campaign. The first occasion was in Winnipeg South Centre last year, which previously held the record for longest federal ballot.
MacDonald said he joined the ballot initiative because he realized that "we need to do something different."
"The issue of electoral reform has been talked about and debated and studied for decades in Canada, and we're not making any progress," he said.
MacDonald said both the Conservatives and Liberals have been hypocrites on electoral reform and the way forward is an empowered citizens assembly.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Will Toronto-St. Paul's still be a Liberal stronghold after byelection? | Sunday Scrum
Federal byelection in Toronto has Liberals watching closely
Liberal Party of Canada announces Leslie Church as Team Trudeau candidate for Toronto–St. Paul’s
May 1, 2024
Toronto, ON— The Liberal Party of Canada has announced that Leslie Church, an accomplished community leader, will be the Team Trudeau candidate for Toronto–St. Paul’s in the upcoming federal by-election.
“Leslie is a passionate community leader who is ready to roll up her sleeves and get to work building a stronger Toronto St–Paul’s,” said Sachit Mehra, President of the Liberal Party of Canada. “In this important by-election, the people of Toronto–St. Paul’s have a clear choice: elect Leslie to deliver our Liberal plan that makes the ultra-wealthy pay a bit more so every generation has a fair shot at success, or let Pierre Poilievre and his Conservatives make cuts to programs that help the middle class.”
Leslie has deep roots in Toronto–St. Paul’s, and has spent much of her career serving her community, advising governments, and working with local organizations in Toronto and across the country to build a better future for everyone. Most recently, she served as a senior advisor and Chief of Staff in the federal government, where her work and leadership contributed to the development of $10-a-day child care, initiatives to build more affordable homes, and increased investments to reduce health care waitlists.
“Toronto– St. Paul’s needs a local champion who understands the challenges and opportunities of our community and families,” said Leslie Church. “I am ready to work with the Liberal team to build more homes, strengthen public health care, and lower the cost of living – so everyone in our community has a fair chance to succeed.”
Leslie Church
Experience
- GoogleJun 2012 to Dec 2015 · 3 yrs 7 mosToronto, Ontario, CanadaHead of Communications & Public Affairs, Google Canada
- Temerty Faculty of Medicine , University of TorontoDec 2011 to Jun 2012 · 7 mosTorontoExecutive Director, Office of Strategy, Communications & External Relations
- Michael Ignatieff Liberal Leadership CampaignApr 2006 to Dec 2006 · 9 mosTorontoDirector, Communications
- Ontario Undergraduate Student AllianceDec 2002 to Sep 2003 · 10 mosTorontoExecutive Director
- Western Economic Diversification CanadaMay 2001 to Oct 2001 · 6 mosPolicy Analyst and Project Lead
Education
- Gordon Cressy Leadership Award; James Jefferson Prize for Health Law; Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP Prize for Excellence in Legal Writing; Students’ Law Society Public Interest Summer Fellowship
- Specialization in international political economy and global economic governance.
- Activities and societies: President, University of Alberta Students' Union (2000-2001)
- Faculty of Arts Achievement Award; Lou Hyndman Leadership Scholarship
Meet Don
Don Stewart and his two daughters have been proud to call St. Paul’s their home since 2016. His roots in the riding stretch back more than 100 years.
Don grew up in Oshawa and attended Queen’s University, earning both Engineering and Business degrees. He began his career selling construction products for a small business where he learned about fiscal accountability and that every dollar counts. Later, he worked on Bay St. and spent time at both BMO and Morgan Stanley, gaining a global perspective on money flows.
Don currently works for the Canadian Investment Regulatory Organization (CIRO) helping to keep our capital markets safe, fair, and efficient.
His professional experiences have taught him that hard work combined with sound fiscal and economic policy are keys to innovation and success.
Don has lent his time and energy to various community efforts including the Lakeridge Hospital Foundation, junior golf committees, and the Canadian Armed Forces. He is a past-President and is now Treasurer of the 2 Intelligence Company Senate. Don has been a licensed Professional Engineer and is a CFA Charterholder.
Dennis Wilson
Dennis Wilson was born and raised in Alberta. He received a BSc from the University of Alberta with major coursework in biology and sociology, as well as a specialization in psychology.
While living in Edmonton, Dennis worked with the CIBC, Ducks Unlimited and also started his own consulting, bookkeeping and personal income tax business.
In 1987, Dennis moved to Hamilton to attend McMaster University, and he received his MBA in Management Science and Information Systems in 1990. Dennis worked as a contract employee and consultant for the City of Hamilton, where he assisted in implementing a new property tax system.
Dennis moved to Texas in 1995, where he worked in software and database development for Nortel. While working with Nortel, Dennis received his PhD in Organization and Management from Capella University.
Dennis returned to Canada in 2007 and returned to his consulting business in 2009. During this time, Dennis wrote and published the book "Human Psychology for Business". In 2016, Dennis, with his wife, purchased and opened the Lighthouse Restaurant on the Parkway. The restaurant was sold in 2021 and Dennis and his wife took up raising chickens, and growing garlic and other vegetables on their hobby farm.
Dennis is a systems expert with strong financial acumen, a people and organizational expert, and an author. Dennis is dedicated to helping make life more livable for Canadians.
List of candidates
Toronto--St. Paul's (Ontario)
This list of confirmed candidates was issued on Wednesday, June 5, 2024.
| Candidate name | Status | Party name | Office phone number | Candidate's website * | Name of official agent | Name of auditor |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mélodie Anderson | Confirmed | Independent | Kieran Szuchewycz | |||
| MarthaLee Aykroyd | Confirmed | Independent | Kieran Szuchewycz | |||
| Alex Banks | Confirmed | Independent | Kieran Szuchewycz | |||
| Myriam Beaulieu | Confirmed | Independent | Kieran Szuchewycz | |||
| Michael Bednarski | Confirmed | Independent | Kieran Szuchewycz | |||
| Line Bélanger | Confirmed | Independent | Kieran Szuchewycz | |||
| Maxime Boivin | Confirmed | Independent | Kieran Szuchewyc | |||
| Mylène Bonneau | Confirmed | Independent | Kieran Szuchewycz | |||
| Jean-Denis Parent Boudreault | Confirmed | Independent | Kieran Szuchewycz | |||
| Alain Bourgault | Confirmed | Independent | Kieran Szuchewycz | |||
| Erle Stanley Bowman | Confirmed | Independent | Kieran Szuchewycz | |||
| Sean Carson | Confirmed | Parti Rhinocéros Party | Kieran Szuchewycz | |||
| Jaël Champagne Gareau | Confirmed | Independent | Kieran Szuchewycz | |||
| Leslie Church | Confirmed | Liberal Party of Canada | (416) 623-6529 | Website Leslie Church | Fern Gordon | Harry Mortimer |
| Sébastien CoRhino | Confirmed | Independent | Website Sébastien CoRhino | Kieran Szuchewycz | ||
| Léthycia-Félix Corriveau | Confirmed | Independent | Kieran Szuchewycz | |||
| Christian Cullis | Confirmed | Green Party of Canada | (437) 297-9473 | Adam Deutsch | ||
| Charles Currie | Confirmed | Independent | Kieran Szuchewycz | |||
| John Dale | Confirmed | Independent | Kieran Szuchewycz | |||
| Stephen Davis | Confirmed | No Affiliation | Kieran Szuchewycz | |||
| Mark Dejewski | Confirmed | Independent | Kieran Szuchewycz | |||
| Kubera Desai | Confirmed | Independent | Kieran Szuchewycz | |||
| Manon Marie Lili Desbiens | Confirmed | No Affiliation | Kieran Szuchewycz | |||
| Cory Deville | Confirmed | Independent | (647) 391-4355 | Marley Adams | ||
| Gerrit Dogger | Confirmed | Independent | Kieran Szuchewycz | |||
| Samuel Ducharme | Confirmed | Independent | Kieran Szuchewycz | |||
| Ysack Dupont | Confirmed | Independent | Kieran Szuchewycz | |||
| Donovan Eckstrom | Confirmed | Independent | Website Donovan Eckstrom | Kieran Szuchewycz | ||
| Alexandra Engering | Confirmed | Independent | Website Alexandra Engering | Kieran Szuchewycz | ||
| Dji-Pé Frazer | Confirmed | Independent | Kieran Szuchewycz | |||
| Guillaume Gagnier-Michel | Confirmed | Independent | Kieran Szuchewycz | |||
| Daniel Gagnon | Confirmed | Independent | Kieran Szuchewycz | |||
| Donald Gagnon | Confirmed | Independent | Kieran Szuchewycz | |||
| Daniel Andrew Graham | Confirmed | Independent | Kieran Szuchewycz | |||
| Pierre Granger | Confirmed | Independent | Kieran Szuchewycz | |||
| Zornitsa Halacheva | Confirmed | Independent | Kieran Szuchewycz | |||
| Anthony Hamel | Confirmed | Independent | Kieran Szuchewycz | |||
| Felix-Antoine Hamel | Confirmed | Independent | Kieran Szuchewycz | |||
| Blake Hamilton | Confirmed | Independent | Kieran Szuchewycz | |||
| Loren Hicks | Confirmed | Independent | Kieran Szchewycz | |||
| Kerri Hildebrandt | Confirmed | Independent | Kieran Szuchewycz | |||
| Martin Acetaria Caesar Jubinville | Confirmed | Independent | Kieran Szuchewycz | |||
| Demetrios Karavas | Confirmed | Independent | Kieran Szuchewycz | |||
| Kevin Krisa | Confirmed | Independent | Kieran Szuchewycz | |||
| Krzysztof Krzywinski | Confirmed | Independent | Kieran Szuchewycz | |||
| Alain Lamontagne | Confirmed | Independent | Kieran Szuchewycz | |||
| Pierre Larochelle | Confirmed | Independent | Kieran Szuchewycz | |||
| Marie-Hélène LeBel | Confirmed | Independent | Kieran Szuchewycz | |||
| Danny Légaré | Confirmed | Marijuana Party | Kieran Szuchewycz | |||
| Renée Lemieux | Confirmed | Independent | Kieran Szuchewycz | |||
| Connie Lukawski | Confirmed | Independent | Kieran Szuchewycz | |||
| Glen MacDonald | Confirmed | Independent | Kieran Szuchewycz | |||
| Agnieszka Marszalek | Confirmed | Independent | Kieran Szuchewycz | |||
| Matéo Martin | Confirmed | Independent | Kieran Szuchewycz | |||
| Ali Mohiuddin | Confirmed | Centrist Party of Canada | Umme Ismaeel | |||
| Thibaud Mony | Confirmed | Independent | Kieran Szuchewycz | |||
| Yusuf Kadir Nasihi | Confirmed | Independent | Kieran Szuchewycz | |||
| Winston Neutel | Confirmed | Independent | Kieran Szuchewycz | |||
| Guillaume Paradis | Confirmed | Independent | Kieran Szuchewycz | |||
| Amrit Parhar | Confirmed | New Democratic Party | David Simon | |||
| Joshua Bram Hieu Pham | Confirmed | Independent | Kieran Szuchewycz | |||
| Lorant Polya | Confirmed | Independent | Kieran Szuchewycz | |||
| Danimal Preston | Confirmed | Independent | Kieran Szuchewycz | |||
| Olivier Renaud | Confirmed | Independent | Kieran Szuchewycz | |||
| Spencer Rocchi | Confirmed | Independent | Kieran Szuchewycz | |||
| Wallace Richard Rowat | Confirmed | Independent | Kieran Szuchewycz | |||
| Jacques Saintonge | Confirmed | Independent | Kieran Szuchewycz | |||
| Jonathan Schachter | Confirmed | Independent | Kieran Szuchewycz | |||
| Roger Sherwood | Confirmed | Independent | Kieran Szuchewycz | |||
| Yogo Shimada | Confirmed | Independent | Kieran Szuchewycz | |||
| Julie St-Amand | Confirmed | Independent | Kieran Szuchewycz | |||
| Pascal St-Amand | Confirmed | Independent | Kieran Szuchewycz | |||
| Don Stewart | Confirmed | Conservative Party of Canada | (647) 846-4663 | Website Don Stewart | Michael Konopaski | Clarissa Sidaway |
| Mário Stocco | Confirmed | Independent | Kieran Szuchewycz | |||
| Patrick Strzalkowski | Confirmed | Independent | Kieran Szuchewycz | |||
| Daniel Stuckless | Confirmed | Independent | Kieran Szuchewycz | |||
| Benjamin Teichman | Confirmed | Independent | Kieran Szuchewycz | |||
| Meñico Turcotte | Confirmed | Marxist-Leninist Party of Canada | Website Meñico Turcotte | Hélène Héroux | ||
| Darcy Vanderwater | Confirmed | Independent | Kieran Szuchewycz | |||
| Gavin Vanderwater | Confirmed | Independent | Kieran Szuchewycz | |||
| Elliot Wand | Confirmed | Independent | Kieran Szuchewycz | |||
| Michal Wieczorek | Confirmed | Independent | Kieran Szuchewycz | |||
| Dennis Wilson | Confirmed | People's Party of Canada | (647) 272-9866 | Website Dennis Wilson | Danielle M. Metz | |
| Jordan Wong | Confirmed | Independent | Kieran Szuchewycz |
*Please note: Elections Canada does not operate, review, endorse or approve any external site listed here and is not responsible or liable for any damages arising from linking to or using those sites.
From: Keean Bexte<contact@thecountersignal.com>
Date: Mon, Jun 17, 2024 at 4:22 PM
Subject: Maxime Bernier's Secret Tropical Villa
To: David Amos <David.Raymond.Amos333@gmail.com>
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