Dr. Nell Thomas joined the Liberal Party of Canada only recently, and “specifically” to vote for Mark Carney as leader.
Then she realized the local riding association did not have a candidate. Now, she’s it.
The former author of an environmental column in The Highlander is asked why the Liberals, not Green or NDP?
Thomas said she is “Green at heart” and backs an environmental platform, however had voted for every party over the years, in a number of different ridings. “I have voted Green, I have voted NDP, I have voted Liberal,
I have voted Conservative. I have even voted for Jamie (Schmale) and Laurie (Scott). It really is about what is the best thing at that time for the community, for either the province or the country at that time. And, also, who is the candidate that I am voting for.
“Right now, we don’t have a choice. We must lead this country with the strongest, most unifying, and smart, and bold, leader that we can get. We have unprecedented risks against Canada, our sovereignty right now. And understanding the critical situation that Canada is in, is a starting point for people to stand up, pay attention, and vote for their country.”
Liberal hopeful: ‘we are all in this together’
Thomas said her heart is with her patients in Minden, but her conscience is with her county, her community, and the riding.
She is taking a leave of absence from her practice, but said her patients would not be abandoned, as they have a plan for coverage.
Thomas said she does not think it’s a done deal that Schmale will be re-elected.
“The momentum for the Liberals, and the number of people pouring out of the woodwork at us; clamouring to my team right now, saying, ‘we’ve always voted Conservative. We can’t vote for Poilievre. Please give us something to do. Please give us a sign’. It’s unbelievable the momentum right now. You never know until it’s over”.
In the blood
Thomas’ father, Richard Thomas, was a politician. He ran for leadership of the provincial Liberals, against Sheila Copps and David Peterson in 1982. He finished third. He ran against Ernie Eves in Parry Sound-Muskoka in the 1981 provincial election; and finished just six votes shy of Eves. He made the Green party in the riding strong. He was also a municipal politician. He was a radio announcer, who did voiceovers and film narration.
“Right now, I pull from my dad. He coached me a little bit over the years: how to speak without having a speech in front of you; be authentic, and speaking to your own convictions. Nobody can poke that balloon or burst that bubble. When you are speaking about profoundly important things and you know you are right.”
She said she knows right now what the risks are to Canadians, so is giving electors “an opportunity to choose a candidate that will put the country as the priority.”
She stresses her running is not about her, but about Canada “and the real threats to Canada, the aggression from the United States. We have every reason to believe that Donald Trump intends to take over Canada. We have every reason to be fearful our land, our resources, our water, our industries, our culture, our personal freedoms, our rights, all of that, is at risk.”
Speaking to Schmale, she said that “by association, he is aligning himself with Poilievre, who has been publicly endorsed by those who align themselves with Donald Trump.
“That’s the problem under the Conservative machine … we are being asked to divide, to see others differently, or having less value. That is the opposite of what we need to be doing now. We must recognize that we are all in this together.”
The federal Liberals have an office at 146 Kent St. W., Lindsay.
