Sudbury ramps up for Feb. 5 Ontario byelection

Residents in Sudbury will go to the polls for a provincial byelection on Feb.5, and political parties of all colours are getting ready.

The seat for the Sudbury riding has been vacant since NDP MPP Joe Cimino resigned last year for personal reasons.

On Wednesday, Premier Kathleen Wynne was in Sudbury to help launch Glenn Thibeaults campaign.

No one understands more than Glenn the pressing issues Sudbury residents expect their MPP to raise at Queens Park, she said.

• Andrew Olivier to run as an independent in Sudbury riding
• Wynne denies offering Andrew Olivier an appointment to step aside

Thibeault, the former NDP MP for Sudbury, resigned as a member of parliament on Monday.

I continue to fight for the things that matter the most for the people of Sudbury jobs, health care [and] transportation just to name a few, he said.

Im also very excited to be part of the Ontario Liberal team.

Morning North11:03Meet the new Ontario Green Party candidate for Sudbury

Sudbury's upcoming by-election should prove to be an interesting race with a full slate of candidates including an independent. David Robinson will represent the Green Party. Both he and Ontario Green Party leader Mike Schreiner joined us in studio.

Thibeault also spoke about the importance of completing key infrastructure projects, including the twinning of Highway 69 and the Maley Drive expansion.

New Democrats to choose candidate on Sunday

The leader of the Ontario New Democrats said she will be in Sudbury on the weekend when a candidate is nominated.

Andrea Horwath said even though a date for the byelection has been called, the NDP nomination meeting will not be rescheduled.

Basically, [it's] an opportunity, as we always do, to allow the local riding association to make their decision, she said.

This is the way that the New Democrats do things. We think its important to have local voices in that decision.

On Tuesday, the Green Party chose Laurentian University professor David Robinson as its candidate.

Robinson said climate change is public enemy number one, and added that in the fight against it, carbon taxes, not cap and trade, are the way forward.

Virtually, all the economics professions say do carbon taxes, he said.

We still have Haper lying that it kills jobs [and] thats not true. Carbon taxation in Canada will create jobs, itll make a more equal society, and its the only tool thats [going to] work and we have to move fast.

Meanwhile, Progressive Conservative candidate Paula Peroni said she would bring integrity and a strong voice for Sudbury to Queens Park if elected.

People are tired of political self-interest being put ahead of Sudburys needs, she said.

They have an opportunity now to say not to Liberal backroom deals and NDP quitters.

Earlier this week, former Liberal candidate Andrew Olivier said he will run as an independent.

He told supporters Monday evening if elected, his decisions would be in the best interest of Sudbury.