Liberal snub irks council candidate
[attach]1388[/attach]Ward 29 candidate Jennifer Wood was snubbed from a recent forum held by the Toronto Danforth Provincial Riding Association after refusing to sign a release stating she wouldn’t run against the Liberals in future provincial or federal elections.
Wood first reached out to the Liberal association to speak about her candidacy and the association contacted her to extend an invitation to the March 8 forum to introduce Liberal-friendly council hopefuls to its members.
“They had three questions,” Wood said days after the forum. “Why I’m running, the credentials I’d bring and the third thing was an agreement not to run provincially or federally against any Liberal candidate in the future.
“I told them I find it off-putting for them not to want to hear from a council candidate,” she said. “It’s pretty discouraging for them not to consider me on my own merits. I take offence to that.”
Grant Worden, president of the Liberal riding association, confirmed Wood’s story.
“That’s true,” he said. “(Wood) was always welcome to attend, but people invited to speak to the group had to indicate to the Liberal association they wouldn’t run for another party provincially or federally in future elections.”
Worden said the forum was not an all-candidates debate.
“We are interested in supporting candidates who support Liberal issues.”
In the end, Jane Pitfield was the lone candidate for Ward 29. One candidate from Ward 30 and one from Ward 32 also attended.
“I am working with the Toronto Danforth Liberals as I am with many groups,” said Pitfield, a former Don Valley West councillor. “I was invited to participate in this forum and I was delighted to participate.”
“I am a non-partisan person,” said Pitfield, who currently is not a member of any political party.
Pitfield said she wasn’t asked to sign a release stating she would not run against the Liberals in the future, but did give verbal assurances.
“I simply stated my interest is to return to city hall and I have no interest in running provincially,” she said.