Matichuk seeks Sudbury nod in federal vote

Former Greater Sudbury Mayor Marianne Matichuk is taking another run at politics, this time for the Liberal seat in Sudbury in the federal election slated for October.

Matichuk confirmed late Friday afternoon she plans to seek the nomination. She joins lawyer Paul Lefebvre as the only declared candidate for the seat left vacant when Glenn Thibeault bolted from the federal NDP in December to run for the Liberals in the provincial byelection.

Matichuk said her frustrations in dealing with the federal government when she was mayor and was trying to secure federal support for the Maley Drive extension is part of her motivation for running.
Sudburians need a strong voice at the federal level to help bring infrastructure dollars to the city, she said.

When she announced last May she wouldn't seek another term as the city's mayor, an Oraclepoll found she was one of the city's most popular politicians. Rumours had her running provincially for the Liberals in the June election, and it was speculated she was interested in running in the byelection before Premier Kathleen Wynne appointed Thibeault as the party's candidate.

She hasn't yet received approval from the Liberals to run, but when she does, Matichuk said Friday she would hold a more formal launch of her campaign.

Under Canada's election law, the next federal must be held by Oct. 19 of this year. However, with recent economic uncertainty driven by collapsing oil prices, some analysts have predicted Conservative Prime Minister Stephen Harper will call an early election.