While unconfirmed reports are speculating Prime Minister Mark Carney will be calling a federal election on Sunday, the local Liberal candidate has sent out invites for a campaign kick off event to be held that evening, seemingly confirming the election call.
The email from Sault Ste. Marie—Algoma Liberal candidate Terry Sheehan was sent out Friday inviting supporters to an evening event at the Marconi Club on Sunday.
"It's not a campaign kick off, we're going to do the official campaign kickoff at our campaign office, which we have secured. But this is just coffee. It's like volunteers and and our friends just getting together over a cup of coffee," said Sheehan by phone on Friday.
When SooToday pointed out that the email is literally titled 'Campaign Kick Off,' Sheehan responded:
"Well, that's what they titled it, but yeah — coffee with Terry, I told them.
"No, it's not the official campaign kickoff. I don't know — one of my writers must have threw it up that way," he added.
Sheehan said he has secured a campaign office for downtown Sault Ste. Marie, but it has not yet been decorated.
Carney is widely expected to ask Gov. Gen. Mary Simon to dissolve Parliament on Sunday, leading to a vote at the end of April or early May.
Asked if the timing of the event — coming hours after the expected election call — confirms the rumours of that election call, Sheehan said he does not have any insight into Carney's plans.
"I've planned on doing this before because if Carney hadn't called the election, I'd be on the morning flight to to Ottawa, right?
So we had that Sunday night. Either one, if there's no call on Sunday, I'll be on a flight to Ottawa. But again, ever since the three leaders have said the first opportunity when we get back to Ottawa we're going to vote non confidence so there's an election," said Sheehan.
He added: "I have no confirmation or inside track of when or what Mr. Carney will do."
Although he is not certain of the date the election will be called, Sheehan said he is certain it will be called soon, either by decision of the prime minister or by a vote of no confidence in the House of Commons.
"The opposition has said they're going to take us down anyways, so we're talking about no difference of days," said Sheehan.
"We certainly know that the election is coming sooner than later," he added.
Although not yet confirmed by the Conservative Party, Hugh Stevenson is expected to be named the candidate for Sault Ste. Marie—Algoma. He stepped down as chief of police for the Sault Ste. Marie Police Service on Friday.
The New Democratic Party confirmed Laura Mayer is its candidate for the riding.
Arnold Heino is running for the People's Party of Canada.
— with files from The Canadian Press