Former Vaughan regional councillor takes shot at federal Liberal nomination

YorkRegion.com
Dec. 23, 2014
By Tim Kelly

A former Vaughan regional councillor just off an October defeat at the polls wants to give elected politics another try in the new year.

Vaughan resident Deb Schulte said she is actively seeking the Liberal nomination in the new federal riding of King-Vaughan.

Schulte confirmed Monday she has sent in her nomination papers to the party’s head office in Ottawa and is now awaiting the formal process of being “green-lit” or given the stamp of approval as an officially nominated party candidate.

“I’m definitely pursuing the nomination,” said Schulte, who finished fourth by more than 4,000 votes behind Michael Di Biase, Mario Ferri and Gino Rosati in the Oct. 27 municipal election.

The next federal election is expected to take place in October 2015, but could happen as early as this spring. The city of Vaughan will be represented in two new federal ridings that include King-Vaughan and Vaughan-Woodbridge.

Schulte, who served a single term as a Vaughan regional councillor, earned a third-place finish in 2010, edging out Ferri.

Schulte, who has a degree from Princeton, worked for more than 20 years for Bombardier, an airplane and train manufacturer.

Already green-lit by the Liberals for the nomination in King-Vaughan are local fundraising executive Gary Gladstone and Major Khalifa, a longtime federal Liberal stalwart.

The Conservatives have already held its nomination meeting for King-Vaughan and realtor Konstantin Toubis is the official candidate.

The New Democratic Party and Green Party have yet to announce any nominations.