Hamilton federal candidates preparing for election campaign kickoff

Hamilton residents are expecting Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to dissolve Parliament Aug. 15 and call an election for Sept. 20.

But Hamilton Liberal MP and Labour Minister Filomena Tassi didn't want to speculate on having a campaign during a pandemic as she attended yet another federal Liberal funding announcement in Hamilton.

Announcing $23 million from FedDev Ontario to support an estimated 5,000 local businesses across southern Ontario in Westdale Aug. 13, Tassi said she is more focused on helping Canadians rather than on an election.

When the Prime Minister decides to visit the Governor General, that's for him to decide," said Tassi. Our focus is on delivering for Canadians throughout the pandemic."

Trudeau is widely expected to announce a 36-day campaign - the minimum campaign length permitted by law - to culminate in voting day on Sept. 20.

The NDP and Conservative parties have both lambasted Trudeau for calling an election. NDP leader Jagmeet Singh said Aug. 10 that the pandemic isn't over. Calling an election is selfish. PM Trudeau can bring his ministers back from the pre-campaign trail, recall the house and get to work."

Conservative leader Erin O'Toole stated Aug. 12 that Trudeau is simply focused on politics. It's time we had a prime minister planning an economic recovery focused on Canadians. We're ready."

Polls at the moment indicate the Liberals have a 36 per cent slice of public support which translates into a slight majority government, followed by the Conservatives with 29 per cent and the NDP at 19 per cent.

But a Mainstreet poll recently conducted found that 65 per cent of respondents believe now is not a good time to have an election.

Hamilton's federal candidates, though, have been campaigning during the summer in preparation for an election call, including the Liberals as they quickly select candidates.

The Hamilton East-Stoney Creek federal riding acclaimed Ward 5 Coun. Chad Collins Aug. 12 as its choice to replace outgoing Liberal MP Bob Bratina. The former mayor said last May that he wasn't going to run again federally after the Liberal government provided $1.7 billion towards the city's $3.4-billion light-rail transit project.

Collins will be facing off against NDP candidate Nick Milanovic who finished second to Bratina in 2019, while businessman Ned Kuruc is the Progressive Conservative candidate.

Tassi will be facing Conservative candidate Bert Laranjo who finished a distant second to the labour minister in the 2019 contest in Hamilton West-Ancaster Dundas and NDP candidate Roberto Henriquez. The Green Party candidate is Victoria Galea, who also ran in 2019 and placed fourth. Galea is holding a campaign launch Aug. 15 at the Dundas Driving Park starting at 3 p.m.

Meanwhile, the Hamilton Mountain riding is wide open after incumbent NDP MP Scott Duvall decided not to seek re-election. The federal Liberal riding association is holding a virtual nomination meeting between 2019 candidate Bruno Uggenti and CHCH broadcaster Lisa Hepfner on Aug. 16 beginning at 4 p.m.

The NDP Hamilton Mountain federal riding association tapped former Welland federal NDP MP Malcolm Allen as its candidate. Allen last served in Parliament in 2015. The Conservatives selected Al Miles, a party organizer who last ran for the party in 2015.

In Hamilton Centre, the NDP candidate is Matthew Green, the former Ward 3 councillor, while the Liberal candidate is Margaret Bennett, a member of the Durand Neighbourhood Association. The Conservative candidate is Fabian Grenning, who is president of the accounting firm Grenning and Co.

But the riding to watch is expected to be Flamborough-Glanbrook, especially since incumbent Conservative MP David Sweet is not seeking re-election. In his place as the Conservative candidate is Dan Muys, who has worked with Sweet for the last 15 years. He will face Liberal candidate Vito Sgro, who ran in the last Hamilton mayoral race in 2018 on an anti-light-rail transit platform. The NDP candidate is Lorne Newick, who kicked off his campaign virtually Aug. 11.