Joe Volpe
Joe Volpe was Minister of Citizenship and Immigration under Martin. He announced his candidacy on April 21, 2006. A former schoolteacher, he was elected to the House of Commons in 1988. His top priorities will include reinvigorating the party to get it back "on a professional keel." He will aim to "make it a good corporate institution that it's been and the nation-building institution that it has always proved to be." Volpe's main campaign themes are expected to include, making education and training a higher priority and improving the system for accommodating immigrants, planks that draw on his cabinet experience as human-resources minister and immigration minister.
Volpe ran into trouble on June 2 when it was revealed that his campaign had received $5,400 in donations from each of three children under the age of 15. All of whom were children of executives of the pharmaceutical company Apotex. The donations were later returned. This situation led to the creation of the satirical Web site Youth for Volpe. Subsequently Sukh Dhaliwal and Yasmin Ratansi left the Volpe campaign to support Michael Ignatieff.
The Liberal Party of Canada announced a $20,000 fine against Mr. Volpe because his campaign allowed membership forms to be distributed to cultural associations in Quebec without ensuring that new members would pay their own membership fee. Volpe was subsequently exonerated, and the fine was withdrawn.
Following the candidate speeches on December 1, Volpe announced his support for Bob Rae's candidacy. Volpe withdrew after the first ballot results were announced.
- Supporters in caucus: 5
- MPs: 5 Joe Comuzzi, Wajid Khan, Massimo Pacetti, Lui Temelkovski, Joe Volpe
- Senators: 0
- Date campaign launched: April 21, 2006
- Date officially registered: May 12, 2006
- Number of Ballots: 1
- Result: Following candidate speeches announced that he would withdraw after the first ballot to support Rae.
Read more about this topic: Liberal Party Of Canada Leadership Election, 2006, Registered Candidates
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