Former teacher, union leader to run for Liberal Party of Canada in upcoming Elmwood-Transcona byelection

The federal Liberals have tapped a retired teacher and union leader to run for the party in the upcoming Elmwood-Transcona byelection. 

Ian MacIntyre will run for the governing Liberals in the byelection, which hasn't been announced yet, the party said Thursday. It must be called before the end of September. 

MacIntyre spent 24 years as a teacher with the River East Transcona School Division and was previously the president of the Manitoba Teachers' Society, according to a news release from the party. He has also lived, worked and volunteered in Winnipeg for more than three decades, the release said. 

MacIntyre is no stranger to politics either, after running for the Manitoba Liberals in last fall's provincial election. He netted 896 votes of the 11,377 total votes cast in the contest for the Kildonan-River East seat, according to official Elections Manitoba results.

The Liberals joined the Conservatives and NDP Thursday as parties who have announced their candidates for the upcoming byelection. 

The Conservatives picked Colin Reynolds earlier this month. He's an electrician who calls himself a proud union member. 

In May, NDP members selected Leila Dance, the executive director of the Transcona BIZ, as their candidate. 

The riding has predominantly belonged to the NDP and the Blaikie family from the beginning. 

Daniel Blaikie held the seat for nearly a decade until he resigned earlier this year to take a role advising Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew's government. Blaikie's late father, Bill, was an MP for almost 30 years before that.

The Conservatives held the seat briefly from 2011 to 2015.

A byelection must be called by Sept. 29, according to Elections Canada. The latest date it can be held is Nov. 18.