Former Liberal Candidate Up Against Local Newcomer for Conservative Nomination
Local CPC members will soon choose who will challenge MP Marc Serré.
In the newly configured riding of Sudbury East-Manitoulin-Nickel Belt, the Conservative Party of Canada is intensifying its efforts to secure a foothold in what has traditionally been a challenging terrain for them. This upcoming election presents a fresh battleground with at least two individuals stepping up to seek the Conservative nomination.
Among the hopefuls is newcomer Himal Hossain, who is making his first venture into local politics. Hossain describes himself as “born and raised in Canada to hard-working immigrant parents.” His profile indicates that he effortlessly communicates in French, English, Spanish, Hindi and Punjabi, and that he is employed as a human resources business partner in the energy sector. While his campaign has been active since last summer, Hossain appears to have only moved to the area in recent years.
The only other candidate who recently announced his intention is Jim Bélanger. His website lists that he is bilingual, has a background in business and has lived in Azilda his entire life. His profile also states that he has worked in various sectors, including: Mining, Logging, Agriculture and Fuel Distribution.
This is Bélanger’s second attempt at becoming an MP. Bélanger previously came close to securing the Liberal nomination in the Nickel Belt riding back in 2015, narrowly losing to Marc Serré.
The 2021 federal election saw Conservative candidate Charles Humphrey securing second place with 13,425 votes against Marc Serré's 17,353, showing some gains for the Conservatives despite not clinching the seat. Last year, Humphrey announced he would not be running again in 2025.
A letter to area Conservatives noted that the deadline to submit candidate nomination applications would be 5 p.m. on January 22. However, only those with a CPC membership active before January 10th will be allowed to vote in the nomination process. The nomination meeting details have not been announced yet.
The outcome of the nomination will be pivotal in determining the party's strategy and potential success in this expansive riding.
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Interesting juxtaposition. Do they go with a total newcomer or an old hand who seems to put personal ambition above policy and party. The old hand probably seems to many, like "one of us" and thus a more likely winner. The problem is, will we get more Liberal light in Conservative wool if he does get in. If I were a CPC member I would opt for the newcomer, other things being equal. Traditional politics have run Canada into the ground over the decades to the point where the US president elect can troll the country and mock its pretensions to independence publicly.
That sad fact, that no one wants to face, is that Canada has been a colony nearly all of its history - first French, then British, then American or Anglo-American. Our main stream political parties along with the permanent state have been the local administrators of one empire or another. Trump just called attention the fact. ;-)
Is Serré hanging his hat?