Brown attempts political comeback in Brampton
TORONTO • Patrick Brown is down, but he may not be out yet.
The embattled politician, who was forced to resign as leader of Ontario’s Progressive Conservatives months before the party won a majority government, is trying to resurrect his political career with a run for mayor in Brampton, a fast-growing city northwest of Toronto where over 70 per cent of residents identify as visible minorities.
Brown faces an uphill battle against incumbent Mayor Linda Jeffrey, a former Liberal cabinet minister who has the support of high-profile politicians from major parties, including some of Brown’s former colleagues.
The 40-year-old’s foray into city politics followed a short-lived campaign to become chair of Peel Region, an elected position Premier Doug Ford, who succeeded Brown as Tory leader, abruptly turned into an appointed role just three months shy of Monday’s municipal election.
“In the minds of many voters in Brampton there may be a question of whether Patrick Brown is more interested in taking on Premier Ford and perhaps some retribution against Mr. Ford more so than serving the residents of Brampton,” said Myer Siemiatycki, a politicalscience professor at Ryerson University.
“This might be the preliminary round as far as Mr. Brown is hopeful for a featured match with Premier Ford.”
Brown — who represented residents of Barrie, Ont., municipally and federally before becoming a provincial legislator for an area north of the city — insists he cares deeply about Brampton, where he now resides with his newly wed wife.
“I’m worried about Brampton,” he said during a recent debate.
Jeffrey, meanwhile, has called Brown a political opportunist, accusing him of using the Brampton mayoral race to rehabilitate his political career.
If Brown emerges a winner on Monday, he could be a thorn in Ford’s side for years to come, said Nelson Wiseman, a political-science professor at the University of Toronto.
“If he becomes mayor, it gives him a platform to make a lot of noise,” he said.