Some PCs in Ottawa riding want candidate to stay out of new race
Party overturned nomination contest last week
With a new nomination meeting now coming for Progressive Conservatives in Ottawa West–Nepean, some local party members want Karma Macgregor, who won the contest last time, to stay out of the race.
On Friday night, the PC party's provincial nomination committee decided to overturn two local nomination decisions in Ontario. Ottawa West–Nepean was one of those two races that was overturned with allegations of fraud, corruption and fake memberships.
Macgregor has remained silent about her intentions since the decision was announced, but Jeremy Roberts, 26, who lost to Macgregor by 15 votes, plans to run again.
'Get out of here'
There is now at least one call for Macgregor to stay out of this race and let other people run for the spot this time around.
"I think Karma should do the right thing and walk. Get out of here," said Thom Bennett, Progressive Conservative member, who said he's not the only one who feels this way. "The process was faulty...It should have been turned down that day."
It all goes back to the May 2017 nomination meeting where several witnesses said they saw evidence of ballot stuffing, ineligible members allowed to vote and party executives that allowed it all to happen.
The leader at the time, Patrick Brown, shut down any discussion of an appeal and appointed Macgregor, the party executive in Ottawa West-Nepean resigned en masse.
Macgregor is an advisor to a senator on Parliament Hill. At the time of the nomination, her daughter, Tamara Macgregor was Patrick Brown's deputy chief of staff.
Over the past two weeks, several CBC requests to Macgregor went unanswered.
Young Conservatives disillusioned
Roberts said many young Conservatives were disillusioned by the nomination and planned to desert the party, but the recall is restoring faith in the process.
"So many people in Ottawa West–Nepean said 'We're so disgusted by what happened', they said I'm not going to donate to the party, I'm not going to volunteer with the party, I'm not going to do anything to help Karma Macgregor," said Roberts.
"I think that's a real travesty. We need to get everyone back involved."