Parkdale-High Park federal race

Which MP do you want: past or present?
Incumbent Gerard Kennedy faces  challenge from predecessor Peggy Nash
Kris Scheuer
(Written for Town Crier April 15.)

Parkdale-High Park is a rematch between Liberal Gerard Kennedy and the NDP’s Peggy Nash.
Kennedy won the seat in 2008 when he beat first-term incumbent Nash.
This showdown mentality was on display during an all-candidates debate at Swansea Town Hall on April 13.
One of the contentious issues of the evening was Kennedy’s attendance for Parliamentary votes. Nash’s team was passing out a Globe and Mail article she said is based Hansard, the complete minutes of Parliament. An addendum to the article claims between Nov. 2008 and March 2011 Kennedy missed 122 votes and was present for 241 out of the 363 total votes.

NDP candidate and former MP Peggy Nash. Photo by Kris Scheuer/Town Crier.

Kennedy’s team countered he was present for 272 votes and 32 paired, a system whereby an opposition and a government member both agree to be absent for the vote and are not normally counted as absences, for a total attendance record of 304 votes out of 363.
The two candidates had a few exchanges regarding this at the debate at one point Kennedy appeared quite emotional as he said, “Don’t accuse me of not working hard for this community.”
He said he attended votes in Ottawa even at times when close family members were battling severe illnesses.

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Liberal federal candidates 2011

Who’s running federally for Grits in Toronto ridings
Kris Scheuer

Rob Oliphant is seeking re-election as the Liberal Don Valley West MP.

It’s election time with another federal vote on May 2.
I have posted information on Conservatives, Green Party and NDP candidates as they become known who are running in for federal seats in Toronto ridings.
But this post focuses on Liberal candidates running for federal seats in 22 Toronto ridings:
1)York-Centre incumbent Liberal MP Ken Dryden.
2)York South-Weston incumbent Liberal MP Alan Tonks.
3)York West incumbent Liberal MP Judy Sgro.
4)St. Paul’s incumbent Liberal MP Carolyn Bennett.
5) Scarborough Rouge-River Liberal candidate Rana Sarkar.
6)Scarborough-Guildwood incumbent Liberal MP John McKay.
7)Scarborough-Centre incumbent Liberal MP John Cannis.
8)Scarborough Southwest incumbent Liberal MP Michelle Simson.
9)Scarborough-Agincourt incumbent Liberal MP Jim Karygiannis.