Posted Metro News
VAUGHAN, Ont. - A group calling itself Conservatives Against Fantino says it won't change its name in order to qualify for third-party status in the upcoming Vaughan byelection.
The group's application was rejected by Elections Canada, which deemed the name too similar to the Conservative Party of Canada.
The group is campaigning against former provincial police commissioner Julian Fantino, considered a frontrunner for the Vaughan riding just north of Toronto.
One of the group's founders, Gary McHale, says there isn't enough time to reapply before the Nov. 29 byelection, so the group will scale back its plans and soldier on without registering as a party.
Electoral rules require groups to register if they incur more than $500 in campaign expenses.
McHale has openly criticized Fantino and the provincial police force for their role in the 2006 aboriginal occupation in Caledonia, Ont.