Here are your candidates for the Cumberland byelection
Byelection triggered when longtime councillor Stephen Blais became MPP
Latest
- A week before the Oct. 5 byelection, Denis Labrèche stated he had pulled out of the race.
- He said he was taking a promotion in the federal government. His name will remain on the ballot.
A television host, a newspaper editor and a local community association president are among the candidates vying to become the next councillor for Ottawa's eastern-most ward.
Friday afternoon marked the deadline for candidates to file their nomination papers to run for the council seat for Cumberland, left vacant when former councillor Stephen Blais was elected MPP for Orléans in February.
Blais had represented the sprawling ward, which includes Ottawa's rural eastern reaches as well as parts of suburban Orléans, since 2010, when he was first elected to council.
Ottawa city council formally declared the seat vacant in late March but agreed to defer the byelection due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
As of Aug. 21, 10 candidates are registered to run in the byelection:
Yvette Ashiri
Yvette Ashiri is a producer and host of the television show Identité Cultur'Elles and executive vice-president of Junior Chamber International Canada.
Ashiri also chairs the school council of École élémentaire publique des Sentiers, and sits on the governance committee of the Montfort Hospital and on the board of directors of La Cité college, according to her campaign website.
⏩ <a href="https://t.co/FDVNfdRkiT">https://t.co/FDVNfdRkiT</a><br>RDV aujourd'hui à 17h00 ! On va parler d'économie locale ! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/EndirectavecYvette?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#EndirectavecYvette</a><br>-<br>See you at 5:00 p.m.! We'll talk about the local economy! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/LivewithYvette?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#LivewithYvette</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TogetherEnsemble?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TogetherEnsemble</a> with/avec <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/YvetteCumberland?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#YvetteCumberland</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Ottpol?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Ottpol</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ottvote?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ottvote</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CumberlandWard?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CumberlandWard</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Ward19?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Ward19</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ottcity?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ottcity</a> <a href="https://t.co/tPng3OnFE4">pic.twitter.com/tPng3OnFE4</a>
—@YvetteAshiriLyse-Pascale Inamuco
Lyse-Pascale Inamuco worked as a political staffer for former natural resources minister Nathalie des Rosiers. She also co-chairs Women's March Ottawa.
Her campaign website lists her as the director of community service at the Rotary Club of Orléans.
Faith over fear|La foi combat la peur <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/VoteLysePascale?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#VoteLysePascale</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cumberland?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Cumberland</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/%C3%89lisezLysePascale?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ÉlisezLysePascale</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ottvote?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ottvote</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ottcity?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ottcity</a> <a href="https://t.co/e2PdXZdYgi">pic.twitter.com/e2PdXZdYgi</a>
—@LysePascaleCatherine Kitts
Catherine Kitts was a runner-up in the 2018 municipal election for Orléans and former editor of the Orléans Star.
<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ottcity?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ottcity</a> has called the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cumberland?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Cumberland</a> by-election & I am excited to re-announce that I will be running to replace Stephen Blais! These are challenging times - our community needs a strong voice on council. Trust in me to work tirelessly for you & to lead with compassion. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ottvote?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ottvote</a> <a href="https://t.co/jmCeFfxVRj">pic.twitter.com/jmCeFfxVRj</a>
—@catherinekittsDenis Labrèche (has pulled out but name will remain on the ballot)
Denis Labrèche is the president of the Carlsbad Springs Community Association. He is also one of the founders of the organization.
<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/cumberlandward?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#cumberlandward</a> Residents told me we need more roundabouts. This will save lives and be more environmentally friendly and safer. Let’s see an example of a four way stop at Frank Kenny and Russell Rd. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ottvote?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ottvote</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ottcity?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ottcity</a> Any comments? <a href="https://t.co/eKaMAzKG2p">https://t.co/eKaMAzKG2p</a> <a href="https://t.co/eL1nmtbzYr">pic.twitter.com/eL1nmtbzYr</a>
—@Denis_LabrechePatrick Uguccioni
Patrick Uguccioni is the managing editor of Your Community Voice, a west Ottawa community newspaper that serves communities including Kanata and West Carleton, and a longtime city hall staffer.
What type of City Councillor does the Cumberland ward need?<a href="https://t.co/XhwukN0rXn">https://t.co/XhwukN0rXn</a>
—@elect_patrickCraig MacAulay
Craig MacAulay ran for mayor of Ottawa in 2018 and 2014. He also ran in the 2010 municipal election for College ward.
Mark Scharfe
Mark Scharfe ran for Osgoode ward in the 2010, 2014 and 2018 municipal elections. He is a retired police officer and farmer.
A. Bruce Faulkner
A. Bruce Faulkner previously ran in the 2018 Ontario election for the Libertarian Party in Ottawa-Centre. He also ran in the 2014 municipal election in Kanata South and in the 2019 byelection in Rideau-Rockcliffe.
Henry Valois
Henry Valois previously ran for the Cumberland seat in 2006. Valois is a former firefighter who has lived in the ward for close to 40 years, according to his campaign website.
Jensen Boire
Jensen Boire ran for the Cumberland seat in 2018.
Electors can add to or amend their personal information online by using the Am I on the Voters' List? online search tool from Sept. 5 to Sept. 13.
All voters can also apply for a special mail-in ballot with the Elections Office. The application window for a mail-in ballot opens Sept. 5 and closes Sept. 13, 2020, at 5 p.m. Electors will be required to mail or deliver their completed special ballot to the Elections Office by 4:30 p.m. on voting day, Oct. 5.
Advance voting take place Sept. 28 and 29, and voting day set for Oct. 5.
