About the Blog:

Guelph Politico is locally sourced and dedicated to covering the political and cultural scene in the City of Guelph. Est. 2008.

Thursday, May 15, 2014

A Communist Candidate (Not Drew Garvie) Joins Race

The four main party candidates have more or less been a lock for a couple of months, but as we officially entered the provincial election earlier this month, Guelph's politicos were forced to wonder if many "third party" candidates would put their name on the ballot. Now, for one "third party," that question has been answered. Everyone welcome Juanita Burnett for the Communist Party of Ontario to the 2014 provincial election derby.

Burnett's name appeared on the Guelph candidate's page of the Elections Ontario website yesterday, and joins about 10 other Communist candidates so-far running throughout Ontario. In Guelph though, it's a point of pride that the Communists have a candidate here because the national party started in the Royal City back in the 1930s. Burnett is stepping in for four-time Communist candidate Drew Garvie, who represented the party in elections both federal and provincial.
According to the CPO's website, Burnett a part-time library worker, an activist, feminist, and proud union member who became politically active during the Mike Harris years, specifically over the issue of child care. “Ontario is long overdue for a system of quality, regulated and safe public childcare," she says. "Workers are speaking out against privatization and cuts made in the name of austerity, and for stronger public services that we need t function as a community.”
The current provincial election slate for Guelph includes Burnett, James Gordon (NDP), Anthony MacDonald (PC), Liz Sandals (Liberals) and Mike Schreiner (Green Party). The last day to file nomination papers is a week today, May 22.

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