OTTAWA—The race to replace Bob Rae in Toronto Centre is expected to heat up as Chrystia Freeland , a high-profile international journalist, has her eyes on the Liberal nomination, party sources say.
As well, former health minister and Toronto mayoralty candidate George Smitherman says he intends to provide “clarity” about his intentions in Toronto in the next few days.
Freeland, currently a managing director and editor with Thomson Reuters news, based in New York, is also author of the much-praised book, Plutocrats: The Rise of the New Global Super-Rich and the Fall of Everyone Else . She’s also written for The Economist, the Washington Post and served as a senior editor at the Financial Times.
ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW
ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW
Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau, who has been organizing his leadership and party platform around the revival of the Canadian middle class, has been frequently quoting Freeland’s book . Earlier this spring, he told the Star and other media outlets it was among the books he kept close at hand for reference.
Alberta-born Freeland was not replying to questions on Friday about a possible leap to politics. But the word is out in Toronto Liberal circles, and an announcement of some type is expected soon.
Trudeau has made it clear he does not intend to appoint any candidates, as his predecessors have done, so Freeland will have to fight for the nomination.
And with Toronto Centre seen as a reasonably safe Liberal seat — one of the few where that can be said for the third-place party — the competition could be intense.
Todd Ross, a community organizer in Toronto Centre, has declared he will be a candidate for the Liberal nomination, and other hopefuls are expected to step forward in the coming days and weeks.
Coincidentally, the New Democrats’ nomination race in Toronto Centre has also attracted a candidate with her own history in the media business. Jennifer Hollett , a former MuchMusic VJ who also worked with CBC and CTV, formally announced she’d be vying to be the NDP candidate in the byelection.
Toronto Centre becomes officially vacant on July 31, when Rae, the former Ontario premier and interim Liberal leader, resigns his seat. Prime Minister Stephen Harper has until Jan. 1 to set the date for the byelection, expected to be held at the same time as ones to fill Quebec and Manitoba seats vacated by former Liberal MP Denis Coderre and former Conservative cabinet minister Vic Toews.
Correction - July 29, 2013: This article was edited from a previous version that said Toronto Centre became officially vacant on July 1.
To join the conversation set a first and last name in your user profile.
Sign in or register for free to join the Conversation