Mayor Jeff Leal Issues Statement For Pride Week From Sept. 20 to 29
/Mayor Jeff Leal has issued a statement regarding Pride Week during the week of Sept. 20 to 29, on Wednesday.
Photo by David Tuan Bui.
Peterborough Blogs
Former Liberal Party Candidate Greg Dempsey Gives Endorsement For Upcoming Leadership Race
/Former 2022 Ontario Liberal Party Peterborough–Kawartha candidate Greg Dempsey has officially endorsed Bonnie Crombie to lead the Ontario Liberals for the province.
Photo courtesy of Zachary Hatton.
Crombie vies to become the Liberal leader for the upcoming provincial election in June of 2026, challenging current Premier Doug Ford (Conservatives).
Crombie currently serves as the Mayor of Mississauga and has been an MP for Mississauga-Streetsville from 2008-11.
“We came close to winning Peterborough–Kawartha last year but just didn't have the leadership we needed,” said Dempsey. “Bonnie’s been elected as an MP, she’s led a city, she’s competent, strong, inclusive. But most importantly, she scares the heck out of Doug Ford. With Bonnie as leader, I believe that we’ll beat Dave Smith, evict Doug Ford from the Premier's office and make our province the caring place it can and should be.”
“I am so grateful to have the support of Greg Dempsey,” said Crombie. “Everywhere I go, I am seeing a spark across the Liberal Party. People are proud to be Liberal again. We are re-energized and ready to win in 2026!”
Former Liberal Leader Steven Del Duca (left) endorsed Greg Dempsey (right) during the last provincial election last year. Photo by David Tuan Bui.
Liberal leadership election votes are this Saturday. Citizens in the Peterborough—Kawartha riding can vote at the Peterborough Lions Community Centre (347 Burnham St.) from 2 - 7 p.m.
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Ontario Liberal Party Leader Steven Del Duca Visits Peterborough the Weekend Before the Provincial Election
/Less than one week before the provincial election, Ontario Liberal Party Leader Steven Del Duca made a stop to support Peterborough-Kawartha candidate Greg Dempsey at a campaign rally in downtown Peterborough on Saturday afternoon.
While Del Duca endorsed Dempsey in his visit, both criticized Doug Ford and the Conservative government and issues they would address if elected.
The Liberal candidates were critical of Ford’s views regarding building Highway 413, privatizing healthcare and Bill 124 involving wage suppression for healthcare workers.
Del Duca says repealing Bill 124 would be his first legislative priority if elected as Premier.
The Ontario Liberal Party leader remained confident of Dempsey’s ability to become MPP despite the former’s first campaign in politics.
"This community needs a real champion, a real strong voice at Queen's Park and Greg has the determination, the experience, the talent and the drive to do what hasn't been done for the past four years which is stand up strongly for Peterborough-Kawartha,” said Del Duca.
Dempsey was born and raised in Peterborough. He says having roots in town will play a vital role in looking out for the county’s interests.
“My parents being teachers has really matter to me. I was out on the picket lines with my parents during the Mike Harris years of cuts and chaos and that really formed my politics,” said Dempsey. “The Ontario Liberal Party is the only choice that's going to invest in education, invest in healthcare and make a meaningful difference for the climate crisis and that's why I'm so proud to be running for this.”
Some Ontario Provincial Police officers were present during the Liberal campaign party.
The provincial election is on Thursday. Dempsey is challenging current MPP and Conservative candidate Dave Smith.
The following are the candidates for the Peterborough-Kawartha Riding in the provincial election:
MPP Dave Smith (Conservative)
Greg Dempsey (Liberal)
Jen Deck (New Democratic Party)
Robert Gibson (Green Party)
Tom Morazzo (Ontario Party)
Rebecca Quinnell (New Blue Party)
Dylan Smith (None of the Above Party)
Interim Leader Of Green Party Of Canada To Speak At Local AGM
/Amita Kuttner, Interim Leader of Green Party of Canada will speak at the Peterborough-Kawartha Green Party of Canada Annual General Meeting
Photo courtesy of Amita Kuttner.
The meeting will take place on Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. Registration will begin at 6 p.m.
Kuttner will be speaking from 6:30 p.m. until 6:55 p.m.
This meeting will be held via Zoom.
Click here to register. After registering participants will receive a confirmation email with further details.
Mayor Diane Therrien Takes Temporary Leave Of Absence Effective Immediately
/In a statement released Monday evening Mayor Diane Therrien announced that she will be taking a temporary leave of absence effective immediately.
File Photo. Courtesy of Diane Therrien.
Councilor Andrew Beamer, Deputy Mayor for the City of Peterborough to temporarily take on the role of Acting Mayor.
Therrien is taking this temporary leave to address her personal health.
“While it pains me to step away from my responsibilities as our community continues to deal with the impacts of COVID, I deeply appreciate Deputy Mayor Beamer’s willingness to step up as well as my fellow Councillors for filling in as they are able,” she said in a release. “I know the important work of the City will continue in my absence, and I look forward to re-joining you all soon.”
18-Year-Old Student Zach Hatton Is Running For City Council
/Eighteen-year-old community advocate Zach Hatton is running for City Council in Northcrest Ward in the upcoming October election. The Grade 12 student at St. Peter Secondary School has a passion for politics, having run for the New Democratic Party in this riding last year.
Hatton, who will be attending Trent University in the Fall in the Teacher's Education stream while pursing an Arts degree, tells PTBOCanada he is excited about this opportunity and want to help "build and position the city in an even more progressive place." The incumbents in Northcrest Ward are Andrew Beamer and Dave Haacke.
Hatton believes he has a lot to offer the city and constituents in his ward:
“I’m proud to have been born and raised within this community," Hatton says. "I’m connected to our area through my own personal connections and experiences, and they’ve afforded me a great understanding of Peterborough as a whole. My knowledge will be beneficial to our community when applied to the many pressing issues at City Hall right now.”
Hatton says his great pride in the community played a major role in his decision. Indeed, by deciding to attend Trent University in the Fall, he plans to call Peterborough home for many years to come.
Hatton volunteers at many different places including YourTV (formerly CogecoTV), where he has followed local political issues closely while working on many campaigns at all levels of government—including his own personal run recently for the nomination of the New Democratic Party of Ontario.
Hatton, who intends to use social media aggressively throughout the campaign—namely Twitter and Facebook—will be filing his nomination papers at City Hall on May 1st. You can reach him here for more info.
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Maryam Monsef Appointed To Cabinet As Minister Of Democratic Institutions
/Thirty-year-old Liberal MP Maryam Monsef—the first woman Peterborough has ever elected to serve in Ottawa (and the first Afghan-Canadian MP)—now also has another amazing honour after being sworn in for a cabinet position.
From CBC News
Monsef was appointed by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as Minister of Democratic Institutions in a swearing-in-ceremony at Rideau Hall Wednesday morning (November 4th).
From CBC News
From CBC News
The PCVS and Trent University grad is the first federal cabinet minister from Peterborough since the late Seventies.
photo via Twitter
Learn more about Monsef's backstory in this feature article—"From Afghanistan To Iran To Peterborough: One Woman's Amazing Story Of How A City (& A School) Saved Her Life"—we posted in 2012.
Read her biography here and this excellent profile the Ottawa Citizen did on her.
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Be The Change: Peterborough Youth Council Accepting Applications
/Youth, here is your chance to make a difference by becoming a member of the Peterborough Youth Council.
Image via PtboYouth.com
The Peterborough Youth Council is now receiving applications for their 2015-2016 Term.
The 10-member Youth Council will engage, assist and empower young people in Peterborough to take action in addressing youth issues in our community.
This opportunity will provide members with leadership skills, responsibility and a chance to contribute positively to their community. The Youth Council will also provide networking possibilities with other youth and adults in our community.
Applications are available to youth between the ages of 10 to 21, residing or attending school in the City of Peterborough. To learn more, visit Peterborough.ca, PtboYouth.com or email here.
**The application deadline is Friday, May 15th by 4:30 p.m.
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Dean Del Mastro Has Resigned As MP
/Developing story...
UPDATED: Here's the video of his resignation in the House...
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Peterborough is without an MP as Dean Del Mastro has resigned his seat, CBC reports, less than a week after being found guilty of spending too much on his 2008 campaign. "I will not be a distraction in Peterborough," he said during his emotional resignation in the House of Commons.
Del Mastro was found guilty last week on three counts of violating the Canada Elections Act—exceeding spending limits during the 2008 election, failing to report a personal contribution of $21,000 to his own campaign and knowingly submitting a falsified document.
No word on when the by-election will be.
Photo Laura Payton CBC
Internet Voting Is Hot Hot Hot In Peterborough
/[UPDATED October 20th: With over a little over a week to go, 3,232 people have cast their vote online, while 3,804 Electors have registered to vote online. The total number of electors who cast a ballot online in 2010 was 3951, up from the 3473 who voted online in 2006.]
Screengrab via peterborough.ca/vote
Internet voting has caught on this municipal election in Peterborough like never before, with more and more people on social media reporting they are registering their votes online and the City reporting higher numbers than past years. About 3,900 people voted online in the 2010 municipal election, and that number is expected to be significantly higher this election—nearly 500 people alone voted online on the first day online voting began here October 14th.
The online voting process is seamless, and generally takes no more than 5 minutes. Go to Peterborough.ca/vote to vote! Check out some tweets below about people that have voted online and watch a great "How to" video from local studio Whitebulb Animation...
