In the 2019 provincial election, former Toronto Police Chief Mark Saunders will run as a Progressive Conservative candidate.
In a press release issued Tuesday morning, the party announced Saunders as its candidate for Don Valley West.
Liberal Kathleen Wynne presently represents the seat, but the former premier will not seek re-election in June. Stephanie Bowman, a former member of the Bank of Canada’s board of directors, has been chosen to run in her stead.
“I’m honoured to have been chosen by Doug Ford as the 2022 Ontario PC candidate for Don Valley West. Doug and I have worked closely over the years, and I’ve always admired his strong leadership and dedication to supporting Ontarians, especially over the last two years,” Saunders said in the release. “This is a critical time in Ontario’s history as we recover from the impacts of the pandemic, and it is clear the Ontario PC Party has a strong plan to build a better future for our families and future generations to come, whether it’s investing in transit, building highways, strengthening our health care system, or supporting workers and cutting costs for Ontarians.”
Saunders served as Toronto’s police chief from 2015 until his resignation in the summer of 2020.
He spent a total of 38 years with the Toronto Police Service and was the first Black chief in the force’s history.
Since leaving policing, he has served as a special advisor on the Ontario government’s redevelopment of Ontario Place, a role he was appointed to last March. He also was part of the province’s COVID-19 vaccine distribution task force.
News of his nomination in Don Valley West comes after several high profile members of the Ford government announced that they would not seek re-election in June, including Health Minister Christine Elliott and former Minister of Long-Term Care Rod Phillips.
Source_ cp24.com
