Ontario PC Party names police sergeant as Hamilton Centre candidate ahead of byelection

The Ontario PC Party on Friday announced the nomination of Hamilton police officer, Sgt. Peter Wiesner, as its candidate in the upcoming Hamilton Centre provincial byelection.

The party said in a news release that Wiesner has served as an officer with the Hamilton Police Service (HPS) for 22 years, including as supervising sergeant of the crisis response branch since 2019. 

"I'm excited to connect with the people of Hamilton Centre to share the PC party's positive vision for our community and all of Ontario," Wiesner said in the release.

"Whether it's securing investments in clean steel at Dofasco or building light rail transit and new roads and highways,  there's so much momentum in Hamilton and Ontario right now. It's time that Hamilton Centre has a voice in government to help get things done."

We're thrilled to welcome a true community champion as our candidate.- Michael Diamond, president, Ontario PC Party

The party says Wiesner is a father of two who has been involved in coaching youth sports in Hamilton for over 15 years. He is currently a coach with the Hamilton Cardinals baseball team, it said.

"We're thrilled to welcome a true community champion as our candidate," said Michael Diamond, president of the Ontario PC Party. 

The PC party said while with the crisis response branch of the HPS, Wiesner worked with community partners specializing in a co-response model to service those dealing with homeless, addiction and mental health crisis.

"In 2022, Pete was instrumental in securing a grant worth $8.3 million, in part to pay the salaries of those specialized social service workers, creating a new service model called the rapid intervention and support team," it said.

Byelection date not yet announced

The Hamilton Centre riding, which encompasses Hamilton's downtown and a sizeable area to the east, is waiting on a byelection to produce its new member of provincial parliament, after former MPP Andrea Horwath officially stepped down to run for mayor in August.

Well-known disability and housing activist Sarah Jama was announced as the NDP's candidate in the fall. The Green Party of Ontario's website indicates the party is fielding hardware engineer Lucia Iannantuono.

In January, the Ontario Liberal Party's Hamilton Centre riding association announced the nomination of Deirdre Pike, a researcher, equity consultant and Hamilton Spectator columnist, to represent them.

A spokesperson for the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, which governs vacant seats at Queen's Park, previously told CBC that a writ —  the official notice the election process is underway — must be issued by mid-February.

Under the Legislative Assembly Act, Section 27, a writ must be issued within six months of Aug. 17, the day that Ontario's chief electoral officer received the "warrant for the issue of a writ for the election of a member to fill such vacancy," said Nina Zemko of the legislature's Parliamentary Protocol and Public Relations Branch.

"It is the responsibility of the Lieutenant Governor in Council to appoint a day, which must be a Thursday, for the close of nomination of candidates for a by-election. The election will follow on the 14th day after."