Patrick Brown is running to be the first elected chair of Peel Region.The former Progressive Conservative leader, who might well have been Ontario’s premier, is registering to run at noon Tuesday.“I’m excited to go back to my roots in municipal politics. I believe in being collaborative and non-partisan; as I always say, there’s no monopoly on a good idea,” Brown said in an interview.His potential candidacy was first revealed by the Star on May 17.It is the beginning of a political comeback for the 40-year-old lawyer, who lives in Mississauga’s Lorne Park neighbourhood with his fiancée, less than six months after his stunning resignation as Tory leader.Brown stepped down early on Jan. 25, hours after CTV News broadcast a report alleging sexual impropriety with two women.He has denied any wrongdoing and is now suing CTV, which stands by its story, for $8 million.His resignation from provincial politics triggered a PC leadership race, which was won by Doug Ford on March 10. Ford was elected premier after defeating Kathleen Wynne’s Liberals in the June 7 election.Read more:Opinion | Ontario PC party was not left in a mess, writes Patrick BrownPatrick Brown writing a tell-all book about his ‘political assassination’Patrick Brown sues CTV for $8M over sexual impropriety storyA Conservative source said after Brown’s departure, he visited with his mentor, former Tory premier Bill Davis at his home in Brampton.“The premier told Patrick when you get knocked down, you dust yourself off and get back up,” said the PC source, speaking on condition of anonymity.Last year, Queen’s Park made legislative changes to allow for the direct election of chairs in Peel and York Region as was already the case in Halton, Durham, and Waterloo. Previous Peel and York chairs were appointed.With oversight of regional responsibilities such as policing and other emergency services as well as waste disposal, the ...
|
