2018 Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes federal by-election explained

Election Name:2018 Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes federal by-election
MP
Posttitle:Elected MP
Previous Year:2015
Percentage1:57.83%
Map Size:200px
Popular Vote2:10,443
Type:Parliamentary
Ongoing:no
Party Colour:no
Party Name:no
Swing1: 10.46pp
Swing2: 4.74pp
Percentage2:35.81%
Seats For Election:Riding of Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes
Turnout:35.89% (35.18pp)
Candidate1:Michael Barrett
After Election:Michael Barrett
Popular Vote1:16,865
Candidate2:Mary Jean McFall
Next Year:2019
Next Election:2019 Canadian federal election
Before Election:Gord Brown
Country:Canada
Previous Election:2015 Canadian federal election

A by-election was held in the federal riding of Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes in Ontario on December 3, 2018, following the sudden death of incumbent Conservative MP Gord Brown on May 2, 2018.

The seat was retained for the Conservatives by riding association president Michael Barrett.[1]

Background

Constituency

Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes is a rural riding in Eastern Ontario. It consists of the entirety of the United Counties of Leeds and Grenville.

Representation

The riding was created in 1976. The MP since 2004 was Gord Brown who gained the seat from Liberal MP Joe Jordan at the 2004 federal election. Brown was re-elected in 2006, 2008, 2011 and 2015. The seat became vacant when Brown died of a sudden heart attack in his Parliament Hill office in Ottawa.[2]

Campaign

Colin Brown, Brown's nephew, announced his candidacy for the Conservative nomination and was quickly endorsed by Premier of Ontario Doug Ford.[3] In addition, Edwardsburgh/Cardinal town councillor and federal riding association president Michael Barrett,[4] government-relations specialist Stephanie Mitton, and Anne Johnston,[5] a former aide to Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes MPP Steve Clark also ran for the Conservative nomination. Former Canadian Senator and interim Leader of the Opposition in the Ontario Legislature Bob Runciman was rumoured to be interested in seeking the Conservative nomination[6] for the by-election but decided against it after his wife encountered some health issues.[7] Barrett won the nomination at a local party convention at the Brockville Memorial Centre on August 11 in a contest that ran to a fourth ballot.[8]

2015 Liberal candidate Mary Jean McFall – a lawyer, former Brockville city councillor and immediate former Chief of Staff to Agriculture Minister Lawrence MacAulay – won the Liberal nomination for this by-election unopposed.[9] [10]

Michelle Taylor was the NDP candidate; Taylor ran for the Ontario NDP in Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes in the 2018 provincial election.

Lorraine Rekmans, the Green candidate for this riding in 2015, ran again for the party.[11]

The Speaker's warrant regarding the vacancy was received on May 3, 2018; under the Parliament of Canada Act the writ for a by-election had to be dropped no later than October 30, 2018, 180 days after the Chief Electoral Officer was officially notified of the vacancy via a warrant issued by the Speaker.[12] On October 28, 2018, the writ was dropped for a by-election for December 3, 2018.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Federal Conservatives cruise to convincing victory in eastern Ontario byelection. 2020-11-22. nationalpost. en-CA.
  2. News: Zajac. Ronald. May 2, 2018. Shock, sadness at MP Brown's death. The Recorder and Times. PostMedia. dead. May 2, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180503042551/http://www.recorder.ca/2018/05/02/breaking-gord-brown-dies. May 3, 2018.
  3. News: June 12, 2018. Ford backs Colin Brown bid. The Recorder and Times. dead. June 13, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180613134727/http://www.recorder.ca/2018/06/12/ford-backs-colin-brown-bid. June 13, 2018.
  4. News: June 20, 2018. Tory nomination now a race. The Recorder and Times. dead. June 23, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180624010502/http://www.recorder.ca/2018/06/20/tory-nomination-now-a-race. June 24, 2018.
  5. News: June 26, 2018. Johnston enters Tory race. The Recorder and Times. dead. July 17, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180717071053/http://www.recorder.ca/2018/06/26/johnston-enters-tory-race. July 17, 2018.
  6. Paikin. Steve. Steve Paikin. spaikin. 999341514831654912. May 23, 2018. i'm hearing former sen. bob runciman wants to run in the by-election to replace @gordbrown, who unexpectedly died may 2. brown's riding is the same part of ontario runciman represented at queen's park from 1981-2010. he'd be just the 3rd senator to become an MP if he won.. June 3, 2018.
  7. Paikin. Steve. Steve Paikin. spaikin. 1006913286867017729. June 13, 2018. Former senator bob runciman has decided to stand down from seeking the nomination to fill the remainder of the late gord brown's term as MP. The nomination is being contested and runciman had little appetite for that. His wife is recovering from surgery. #cdnpoli. June 15, 2018.
  8. News: Mazur. Alexandra. August 13, 2018. Michael Barrett wins Conservative nomination in riding held by late Gord Brown - Kingston. Global Toronto. October 21, 2018.
  9. News: Zajac. Ronald. July 19, 2018. McFall to seek Grit nomination. The Recorder and Times. dead. July 20, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180720013830/http://www.recorder.ca/2018/07/19/mcfall-to-seek-grit-nomination. July 20, 2018.
  10. News: Lowrie. Wayne. October 15, 2018. McFall to get Liberal nod; Taylor in for NDP. The Recorder and Times. October 21, 2018.
  11. News: Snowdon. Frazer. October 29, 2018. Byelection called to fill vacant seat left by late Conservative MP Gord Brown - Kingston. Global Toronto. October 30, 2018.
  12. Web site: Vacant Seats in the House of Commons Since the 2015 General Election. April 4, 2017. Elections Canada.