The perfect candidate

In case you're wondering whether Brent Colbert was happy to step aside and make way for Randall Denley, a quick visit to his web site offers a clue. He wasn't. "It is with sadness that I announce that effective immediately I will be suspending my campaign for the Ontario PC Nomination in Ottawa-West Nepean," Colbert writes. "Unfortunately it has been decided that someone else will seek and win the nomination." He goes on to say he'll remain loyal to the Party, and to leader Tim Hudak who flew to Ottawa this morning to announce Denley's candidacy. Colbert is best known locally as chief of staff to former mayor Larry O'Brien.

Former Ottawa Taxpayers Advocacy Group leader Ade Olumide is even less chuffed. "I was told by a party official that there will be no nomination, Tim Hudak was obviously not consulted before this official free lanced on the democratic rights of the membership," Olumide announced today. He's refusing to give up his nomination bid.

When he's not running for elected office or writing columns for the Citizen, Randall Denley is a novelist. His oeuvre includes this political thriller.