Parkdale-High Park, Ontario by-election campaign goes negative

September 14, 2006

Voting is underway in a provincial byelection in Parkdale-High Park, Ontario to elect a replacement former education minister Gerard Kennedy who left the provincial post to join the leadership race for the federal Liberal party.

The new education minister, Sandra Pupatello, has accused NDP candidate and United Church Minister Cheri DiNovo of comparing media coverage of Karla Homolka's release from prison to the persecution of Jesus Christ. Liberal candidate Sylvia Watson's campaign has released selected portions of DiNovo's past sermons to claim she supports the ordination of pedophiles and axe-murderers.

Ontario New Democratic leader Howard Hampton defended DiNovo, saying the Liberals are worried about losing the riding.

DiNovo said the remark was taken entirely out of context by the Liberals and suggested she might sue them over it.

Political parties are doing everything they can to win the riding.