Sandra Pupatello wants to return to politics.
Pupatello wants to represent the Liberals in the riding of Windsor West in the October 21 federal election. She said it’s time for a proven fighter to get results and joked her mom even approved this time.
The former Ontario cabinet minister made the announcement Friday afternoon in front of a full room at the Fogolar Furlan Club in Windsor with some high profile guests, including lawyer Paul Mullins, Dr. Fouad Tayfour, and some current and former Windsor councillors.
Pupatello told the crowd that Windsor has lost its voice federally and provincially. She is asking NDP and Conservative supporters to join her campaign and added she will bring back fledgling Liberals.
Pupatello said she learned a lot over the past eight years while she was away from political life about how negatively people feel about politics and added she is smarter now.
The feisty politician vowed not to change her approach in doing business when reminded that outspoken cabinet ministers Jody-Wilson Raybould and Jane Philpott were turfed from the Liberal caucus after speaking out against the Prime Minister for his handling of the SNC Lavalin affair. The ethics commissioner has found that Justin Trudeau improperly pressured former justice minister Wilson-Raybould to reach a deferred prosecution agreement with the Quebec engineering giant to help the company avoid criminal prosecution on fraud and bribery charges.
Pupatello told reporters he didn’t do anything wrong and went on to say that she supports Trudeau because he is her kind of guy, a guy who fights for jobs. Pupatello said the economy is also her priority and that she didn't think the SNC Lavalin scandal would hurt Liberal chances of winning a seat in Windsor west.
Pupatello was introduced to the large crowd as a person who doesn't run away when times get tough and received lots of applause during her 20-minute speech to the faithful.
She didn't waste any time taking shots at her political rivals saying the NDP is all wrong for Windsor and Ontario Premier Doug Ford has Federal Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer in a headlock.
Pupatello served at Queens Park from 1995 to 2011 and unsuccessfully ran for the Ontario Liberal leadership in 2013.
If she is named the Liberal candidate, she will challenge NDP incumbent Brian Masse, Conservative Henry Lau and Darryl Burrell of the People's Party of Canada.
There is no date set yet for the nomination meeting but the Pupatello camp believes it will be before the end of August.
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