Jennifer Sloan has put her hat in the ring in the Hastings—Lennox and Addington riding, hoping to replace her husband Derek Sloan as the sitting independent MP.
This comes just a week after Derek announced that he would no longer be running in his home riding, but rather aiming for a spot as an independent in the Banff—Airdrie riding in Alberta.
Jennifer’s team has yet to respond to a request for comment, but has released a press release about the announcement.
“Why run as an independent,” Jennifer asked in the released statement. “Because instead of going along with the business-as-usual attitude in Ottawa that has placed Canada’s best interests behind so many other agendas, I will fight against those selling us out.”
Sloan says she believes that “embracing Canadian values makes us stronger as a nation.” She did not explain what those values were.
Her husband Derek has had an embattled career as an MP since he defeated former Liberal MP Mike Bossio for the riding in 2019, including a failed bid for the Conservative Party leadership and being kicked out of the party over a small campaign donation by a known white supremacist, which he maintains he was unaware of. The Conservative leader said Derek was ousted due to a “pattern of destructive behaviour.”
Bossio is running again for the Liberals this year, hoping to take the riding back, while legacy candidate Shelby Kramp-Neuman, daughter of long-time area politician and current MPP for the region Daryl Kramp, is running for the Conservative Party.
New Democratic Party and Green Party candidates have yet to be announced for the riding.