Clement wants a spot on the federal Liberal ticket

Clement wants a spot on the federal Liberal ticket
There has been a renewed interest in Cornwall's Syrian Refugee Task Force

CORNWALL, Ontario – A new face with a familiar look has entered the race to become the local Liberal candidate in a looming federal election.

Bernadette Clement officially announced her plans to seek the nomination at a breakfast launch Wednesday morning at the Best Western. With her announcement she becomes, arguably, the frontrunner in the race to fill the Liberal candidate spot.

Clement, a city councillor who has led the polls in municipal elections multiple times, said her decision to seek a second consecutive spot as the Liberal candidate was painstaking.

“I took a good long time to make the decision. After 2011 I didn’t think that I would do it again. It was a very difficult process,” she said.

Clement ran, and lost, in 2011 to incumbent Tory MP Guy Lauzon by a wide margin – about 21,000 votes, one of the biggest landslide victories in local politics. She nudged out NDP candidate Mario Leclerc for second place by less than 200 votes.

“I felt kind of sad about that. But then a year later I realized I had won something – more strength and more understanding about who you are and what your strengths are,” she said.

Critics, though, could point out that Clement has done this before: win a strong mandate municipally, but then aspire to another place in government by virtue of her last foray into federal politics.

“Municipal politics is my first love. It always will be. It’s where you are closest to the people,” she said. “Public service at the federal level is the same thing. I feel like I can bring skills to that level of government as well.

“I can’t sort of sit idly by in this federal process. I didn’t think I would do it again, but I see our country more and more divided. I see a lot of people, young people in particular, disillusioned with the process.”

She told Liberal party supporters Wednesday morning she views the October election as a chance to send a message about creating a greater voice for Stormont-Dundas-South Glengarry in Ottawa.

“I’ve talked to voters throughout the riding,” she said. “They tell me they want to see a government that truly brings people together instead of dividing our country, and one that addresses our needs, from infrastructure to health care to the environment.

“They want a government that has a plan, to actually deal with our problems so that our future can be full of opportunity.”

Patricia Pichette and Corey Kalsi are also seeking the nomination. Clement is expected to be “green lit” by the party in the coming weeks.

If she gains the nomination, Clement said she will remain on city council until the 30- to 40-day election campaign when she will take a leave of absence.

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