New Democrat MP Olivia Chow says there’s absolutely no truth to the rumours that she’ll soon become Ontario’s next vice-regal.
Taking to Twitter early Monday, the MP for the Toronto riding of Trinity-Spadina denied a media report that Prime Minister Stephen Harper offered her the post of Lieutenant-Governor in her home province.
“It seems the rumour mill is in full force this morning,” she wrote. “Let me be crystal clear, the reports of an LG offer are completely false.”
Such an appointment would’ve pre-emptively taken Chow out of the Toronto mayoral race -- even though she has yet to publicly declare her interest in leading Canada’s largest city. Still, she’s been repeatedly promoted as a possible frontrunner in the race, with recent polls suggesting she’d handily win if her name were on the ballot.
Chow comments on Monday were in response to a blog post by TVO host Steve Paikin entitled “Here’s how Stephen Harper can help Rob Ford.”
Noting that current Lt.-Gov. David Onley’s tenure is due to end later this month, Paikin writes: “I’m told Chow has been offered the job by Prime Minister Harper.”
Paikingoes on to call it a “very clever” move that would pull a strong left-of-centre candidate out of the race.
“Chow is a terrific ‘people person,’ and would do an excellent job as LG. She would also make history as the first lieutenant-governor of Asian descent,” Paikin writes.
The TV broadcaster also says he spoke with Chow last Friday -- and that she didn’t deny “the scenario” when he brought it up with her.
“She laughed. A very big, very dramatic laugh. The kind of laugh where you're stalling for time,” Paikin writes. “‘That's not a denial, Olivia,’ I said to her. She paused, then immediately changed the subject.”
Chow has a wealth of political experience, having served in public office for 23 years -- including 14 years as a Toronto city councillor. She was first elected to Parliament in 2006.
Meanwhile, discussion around Toronto’s mayoral race heated up Monday, as former city councillor David Soknacki tossed his name in the ring to challenge the incumbent Ford.
Ford has been bullish about running for re-election in spite of the so-called crack scandal that’s hung over his office for the past six months; he was the first candidate to file his nomination papers when registration opened last Thursday. But Soknacki is the first high-profile challenger to officially join the race.
Others believed to be potential future candidates are former Ontario Progressive-Conservative leader John Tory, and Toronto Councillors Karen Stinz and Denzil Minnan-Wong, all of whom fall more toward the right on the political spectrum when compared to Chow.
