And then there were four…
The Renfrew Nipissing Pembroke Liberals have announced their local candidate for the June 2 provincial election.
Oliver Jacob was acclaimed as the party rep in a virtual nomination meeting Saturday. The party said Jacob was the only nomination contestant to meet all of the party’s filing requirements and deadlines.
Jacob is a municipal councillor in the township of McNab Braeside and has served as a board member for Arnprior Regional Health, the United Way East Ontario – Renfrew County Advisory Council, the Renfrew and area Community Safety and Wellbeing Planning Table, and is former co-chair of the Renfrew County Youth Network.
According to the Liberal party website, Jacob completed a Bachelor of Arts with double major in History and Politics at Acadia University in Nova Scotia, then returned to Renfrew County to serve his constituents in McNab/Braeside and to start his career working with both the town of Arnprior and the Labour Market Group of Renfrew and Lanark.
“These professional experiences have proven the need for a strong, progressive government that listens to the unique needs of rural workers, businesses and community groups and to provide real leadership on key local issues like housing, education, health care, food security, infrastructure renewal, broadband internet, cellular service and much more.”
Jacob said he was honoured to run as the Liberal candidate, “however, I am running to represent all residents of Renfrew-Nipissing-Pembroke.”
“Over the past few weeks, I have talked with local residents of all political stripes and these conversations have ranged from ensuring that young people can afford to buy a home to fixing the broken long-term care sector to supporting women as the leaders that they are in our communities,” he said following his nomination.
“I really look forward to more conversations across party support on how we can work together to build a stronger, healthier and more prosperous community!”
Before the nomination meeting, Jacob said that for him, “this campaign is about listening and learning how we can work together to build a strong, healthy and prosperous Renfrew County.”
“From Arnprior through Deux-Rivières and down to Barry’s Bay, I am excited to talk with local residents and discuss how we can work together to strengthen our health care system, build more schools, fix our aging infrastructure and address the key issues that matter to rural voters from across the political spectrum.”
Jacob will face off against long-time Conservative MPP John Yakabuski, New Democrat Kurt Stoll, and Ontario Party candidate Kade MacWilliams when voters go to the polls June 2.
Yakabuski was first elected as MPP for the riding in 2003, winning a close race over then-Liberal candidate Derek Nighbor.
He has won four more elections since then, never receiving less than 60 per cent of the vote.
In 2018, Yakabuski finished first in a field of six candidates with 33,350 votes, or 69.19 per cent of the ballots cast.
NDP candidate Ethel Lavalley ran second with 8,066 votes, or 16.73 per cent.
Liberal Jackie Agnew was third with 4,701 votes, or 9.75 per cent.
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