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Replacing Oda
So the race is finally on to replace the dear departed Bev Oda, who stepped away from her job as MP only a little more than a year after we elected her to a four-year term. As we report on page 3, the Prime Minister has set Monday, Nov. 26 to hold a by-election here in Durham, as well as to fill other vacancies in Calgary and Victoria. It will be the last election in Durham as we know it; in 2015 Uxbridge and Scugog will be in separate ridings from Clarington. In fact, as currently proposed, the northern and southern halves of Uxbridge will be in different ridings, the former Scott Township joining Georgina and other parts of York, while the southern populace votes with Scugog, Brock and even parts of the Kawarthas.
Perhaps with that in mind, the NDP made an interesting choice this week for its by-election candidate. Larry O’Connor, the former Brock mayor and MPP, doesn’t currently live in Durham riding, so he may be fighting an uphill battle (even though he’s a political veteran) in a constituency where Clarington has the majority of the votes. But even if he loses this time (and that’s not a given, considering his principal opponent, Tory Erin O’Toole, has never run for office before), he will position himself well for a run in the new riding in 2015. As it is, thanks to O’Connor, it may be a very close race here in Durham this time, certainly much closer than the last three elections.
And it could have even been a close three-way race, considering the mounting Trudeaumania as the fedral Liberal leadership convention nears. The locals, however, chose to put Grant Humes forward as their candidate once more, he who placed a dismal third behind Oda and the NDP’s Tammy Schoep in the April 2011 election. Mr. Humes is a decent fellow, certainly, well-spoken and personable, but the Liberals needed someone with a higher profile, preferably with political experience, if they were to take advantage of the solid opportunity in Durham.
Even if Mr. O’Toole has never run for office, he is certainly a veteran campaigner, having undoubtedly played a part in many of his father’s victories. So despite Mr. O’Connor’s resume, O’Toole has to be the early favourite in this horse race, no matter who the Greens or fringe parties ultimately put forward. Mark your calendars now for the Cosmos all-candidates meeting on Nov. 12 - it should be a fascinating night.
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Also mark your calendar for next Tuesday, Oct. 30, and drop in to Keith’s Flower’s, just east of Main & Brock, between 5 and 8 p.m. for the BIA’s first “cash mob” celebration. The program is called HOOT (Help Out Our Town), and the idea is to give exposure to a business that many Uxbridgers may not be aware of (and to provide a little cash injection besides). Keith’s has been around a long time, but is under new management, and if you haven’t been in for a while, it’s a lot more than just a flower shop. We promise you’ll be likely to find more than a few good ideas for Christmas.
Speaking of good ideas, HOOT is a great one. What better way to spend a half hour on a Tuesday night than meeting friends, shopping for treasures, and boosting a small business? Everybody wins. We’ll see you there.
July 14, 2011
