Adam Prudhomme
Editor
Hastings-Lennox and Addington incumbent MP Derek Sloan has declared his intentions to seek re-election in the 44th general election.
Sloan, who was elected as a member of the Conservative Party in 2019, now serves as an independent MP.
“Canada is at a crossroads, as is our incredible community,” Sloan wrote. “For too long, trusting voters have been taken advantage of by the major national parties in Canada. Now that I have been on the inside of the political structure while representing constituents and Canadians in Ottawa, it is entirely clear that the current party apparatus in Ottawa is one of the gravest threats to democracy. Individual MPs can no longer represent their constituents, without threat of expulsion and their careers being destroyed. MPs must tow the party line, always, whether it is good for their riding or not. Party leadership makes all the decisions, and most MPs are simple placeholders. Those who push back too hard end up expelled from their parties. During the past 16 months we have witnessed the most extreme curtailing of our civil liberties in the history of Canada, without any opposition by the NDP, Bloc or even the Conservatives. The failure of all the major parties to pushback against the never-ending lockdown narrative, the destruction of thousands of small businesses, the needless explosion of cancers and other diseases that were missed in the COVID frenzy, the major increase in suicides, the failure to examine and utilize promising treatments for COVID-19, and more, was a failure of catastrophic proportions.”
Sloan was among the four finalists to replace Andrew Scheer as leader of the Conservative Party in 2020. Sloan was later expelled from the Conservative caucus in January of this year after it was revealed his campaign accepted a donation from Paul Fromm, a well-known white supremacist. Sloan maintained he was unaware of who Fromm was when he made a $131 donation to his campaign, of which the Conservative Party accepted its customary 10 per cent cut.
Conservative leader Erin O’Toole called the decision to remove Sloan from the party as ‘the last straw’ in a ‘pattern of destructive behaviour involving multiple incidents and disrespect towards the Conservative team for over a year.’
One month prior to his removal, Sloan had been acclaimed to run as the Conservative candidate for Hastings-Lennox and Addington.
“My local Conservative board fought valiantly for the right of local members to have their choice of candidate, and I have been honoured by the continued support of local Conservatives,” said Sloan. “The local Conservative board ultimately resigned in disgust after party headquarters failed to listen to their concerns and steamrolled over my membership and candidacy against their wishes and against the wishes of local Conservative members. Democracy is not an internal fixture of the Conservative Party of Canada. I pledged to fight for a better Canada whatever the cost. The tight discipline of both Conservative and Liberal parties has destroyed the ability of their MPs to represent their constituents. I am proud to say I have never sacrificed my principles or failed to do what I thought best for Hastings-Lennox & Addington. I could have easily gone with the flow and had a long and profitable career in politics. But that is not what Canada needs from her politicians. Canada needs politicians who will do the right thing whatever the cost. I will continue to stand for all constituents in Hastings-Lennox & Addington, while fighting for our essential freedoms. I thank those who have continued to support me throughout my time as Member of Parliament for Hastings-Lennox & Addington and I look forward to continuing to serve you all strongly in this role moving forward.”
Sloan joins Liberal candidate Mike Bossio, who served as MP for the riding from 2015-19, as the two candidates currently on record for this riding in the next federal election.
Currently the next election is set to take place in October of 2023 at the latest. Because the Liberals currently hold a minority, the possibility remains a snap election could be called much sooner.