Ontario PCs set date to redo nomination meeting for Hamilton West-Ancaster-Dundas

The Ontario PC party has confirmed that the new nomination meeting for the Hamilton-West-Ancaster-Dundas (HWAD)riding will take place April 15.

The original meeting, out of which Ben Levitt was declared winner, has been mired in controversy after allegations the outcome was fixed. That meeting is now the subject of a police investigation.

The party confirmed the date withCBCNews Monday.

The revised date comes after the party "set aside" the original nomination meeting, saying that it was flawed, according to a March 15 statement released by party president, Jag Badwal.

"Doug Ford has been clear, the membership of our Party must be respected, and heard," Badwal said in the statement. "ThePNChas set aside the nomination in HamiltonWest-Ancaster-Dundasas a result of the flawed process."

It was unclear then when a new meeting would take place. The party now however, says they have decided to move forward.

Dan Muys, president of the HWAD provincial Tory riding association and campaign manager for Levitt, says he's aware of the new date, but hasn't been provided with any further details at this point.

"We asked for a new nomination process back in February and so glad it's taking place," Muys.

"We're just going full-steam ahead because regardless, the election is coming."

Last month, Levitt saidthat he was looking forward to a new nomination contest because he wanted to "clear the air in Hamilton West-Ancaster-Dundas."

A contentious nomination

One previous candidate, Vikram Singh, told CBC Hamilton March 16 thathe plans to run if the nomination contest reopens.

Singh spent months on an expensive legal battlealleging the party fixed the nomination vote so he wouldn't win, before abruptly dropping his claim in January.

At that meeting, would-be candidates Ben Levitt, Singh, Jeff Peller and Jobson Easowvied for the nomination. Singh and Peller both alleged the party stuffed the ballot boxes so Levitt would win.

Both requested the party review the nomination, but then-leader Patrick Brown certified all candidates nominated so far, including Levitt.

Hamilton police Const. Lorraine Edwards told CBC Hamilton a couple of weeks agothat investigators don't know if they will wrap up their probe by June.

The meeting's location isn't known at this time.