Former Kanata-Carleton MP running for MPP in same riding

Public Safety Parliamentary Secretary Karen McCrimmon on Power Play on Monday September 24, 2018. (CTV News)

Former Liberal MP Karen McCrimmon is looking to once again represent her Ottawa area riding, but in the Ontario legislature and not the House of Commons.

McCrimmon has been appointed as the Liberal candidate for the as yet unannounced Ontario byelection in Kanata-Carleton, following the sudden resignation of Progressive Conservative MPP Merrilee Fullerton.

Fullerton resigned her seat in the legislature in March. She had been serving as the Minister for Children, Community and Social Services at the time. Prior to that, she was the Minister of Long-term Care during the COVID-19 pandemic, during which thousands of seniors in long-term care homes across the province died.

McCrimmon was elected to Parliament in 2015, when the riding of Kanata-Carleton was first formed. She was re-elected in 2019 but chose not to seek re-election in 2021. She is a 31-year veteran of the Canadian Armed Forces, who resigned as a lieutenant colonel. She was the first woman to command a Canadian Forces air force squadron.

In 2021, McCrimmon said she would not seek re-election because of health challenges.

With Fullerton's resignation, Ottawa lacks a sitting MPP in cabinet. McCrimmon referenced this in a news release Monday.

"From the convoy to infrastructure and budget gaps the current government has told our city it’s on its own. We need to send them a message that Ottawa won’t be ignored. Kanata–Carleton deserves an MPP that really cares and will serve residents with energy and integrity," she said.

Premier Doug Ford has said the government would 'always be there for Ottawa' despite the lack of a local cabinet minister.

Sean Webster was nominated as the Ontario PC Party candidate to replace Fullerton. According to his LinkedIn profile, he most recently worked for Canopy Growth as its vice-president of government and stakeholder relations.

A date for the byelection has yet to be called. Fullerton officially resigned as an MPP on March 27.