Independent candidates in the 2006 Canadian federal election


There were several independent candidates in the 2006 Canadian federal election. One independent candidate, André Arthur, was elected for the Quebec riding of Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier.
Some independent candidates have their own biography pages. Information about others may be found here.

[Quebec]

Outremont">Outremont (electoral district)">Outremont: Yan Lacombe

Yan Lacombe has sought election to the National Assembly of Quebec and the House of Commons of Canada. Prior to the 2006 election, he ran for the Bloc pot and the Marijuana Party of Canada. He identified as a door attendant in 2006.
ElectionDivisionPartyVotes%PlaceWinner
2003 provincialMarguerite-D'YouvilleBloc pot5501.394/5Pierre Moreau, Liberal
2004 federalOutremontMarijuana4521.186/7Jean Lapierre, Liberal
2006 federalOutremontIndependent850.219/11Jean Lapierre, Liberal

Outremont">Outremont (electoral district)">Outremont: Xavier Rochon

Xavier Rochon was born in October 1983 in Longueuil. He has sought election to the National Assembly of Quebec and the House of Commons of Canada; in 2006, he was a student at the Université de Montréal. He later worked as a teacher.
ElectionDivisionPartyVotes%PlaceWinner
2003 provincialTaillonIndependent2160.566/6Pauline Marois, Parti Québécois
2006 federalOutremontIndependent340.0810/11Jean Lapierre, Liberal

[Ontario]

Kingston and the Islands">Kingston and the Islands (federal electoral district)">Kingston and the Islands: Karl Eric Walker

Walker is a Civil Engineering graduate of St. Lawrence College in Kingston, and works as an inspector. He has campaigned for public office three times, and was 54 years old during the 2006 federal election.
He had previously campaigned as an independent candidate in the 1999 provincial election, in the neighbouring riding of Hastings—Frontenac—Lennox and Addington. He ran as a "non-politician" candidate, emphasized the importance of his family, and pledged to provide money for health and education following the cuts of the Mike Harris government. In 2004, he accused the Liberal government of misusing public funds and called for the government to create more jobs in the environment sector.
After the 2004 election, an Elections Canada official revealed that Walker's nomination papers had been approved even though they were improperly filled out. He filed his forms thirty minutes before the nominations closed, and was later declared a candidate at Kingston's traditional public town meeting. Election officials did not notice the error until later.
During the 2006 campaign, he called for the federal and provincial governments to provide more relief for people on social assistance. He also criticized incumbent Liberal MP Peter Milliken, arguing that he was a good Speaker of the House of Commons of Canada but a poor representative for Kingston and area interests.
ElectionDivisionPartyVotes%PlaceWinner
1999 provincialHastings—Frontenac—Lennox and AddingtonIndependent2007/7Leona Dombrowsky, Liberal
2004 federalKingston and the IslandsIndependent1000.188/8Peter Milliken, Liberal
2006 federalKingston and the IslandsIndependent2960.485/6Peter Milliken, Liberal

Peterborough">Peterborough (electoral district)">Peterborough: Bob Bowers

Bob Bowers was born on October 28, 1947, in Peterborough. He has a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Western Ontario and later attended Teacher's College, but he was unable to graduate due to health issues. He was convicted of robbery in his twenties and spent two years at a penitentiary in Kingston, though he maintains his innocence in the matter. His biography indicates that he has worked as a farmer, as a bartender, as a mail service worker, and in construction.
Bowers is a frequent candidate for public office in Peterborough. In 2000, he called for referendums on all major public issues. During the 2003 election, he supported increases to disability allowance and the provincial minimum wage. He unsuccessfully sought the New Democratic Party nomination for the 1997 federal election, and, in 2003, he acknowledged that he could not win and asked his supporters to vote for provincial NDP candidate Dave Nickle.
An activist for the rights of the disabled, Bowers has openly acknowledged that he suffers from schizophrenia. He frequently picketed the Peterborough branch of the Canadian Mental Health Association in the mid-2000s, accusing it of discrimination and non-accountability. As of 2010, the Ontario Human Rights Commission is reviewing his complaint against a local café.
ElectionDivisionPartyVotes%PlaceWinner
1999 provincialPeterboroughIndependent1510.285/7Gary Stewart, Progressive Conservative
2000 federalPeterboroughIndependent1470.286/6Peter Adams, Liberal
2003 provincialPeterboroughIndependent1780.326/6Jeff Leal, Liberal
2006 federalPeterboroughIndependent1790.286/6Dean Del Mastro, Conservative

Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke">Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke (federal electoral district)">Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke: Paul Kelly

Paul Kelly was awarded a BA in political science from Dalhousie University in the 1980s. He worked as director of development for the Pembroke General Hospital Foundation as well as serving as an assistant to provincial cabinet ministers from 1995 to 2002.

Scarborough—Rouge River">Scarborough—Rouge River (federal electoral district)">Scarborough—Rouge River: Yaqoob Khan

Dr. Yaqoob Khan was born in India, and practiced medicine in Somalia, Peru and Guyana before moving to Canada. He taught in elementary schools for twenty-two years, retiring around 1990. A community activist, he is an advocate for youth and seniors' issues and a supporter of community policing. He has been president and chief executive officer of the Canadian Institute of Islamic Studies for many years, and has advised the federal and provincial governments on race relations.
He helped organize a 1984 meeting of Muslim and Sikh groups in Toronto to protest the policies of Indira Gandhi's government in India. Khan was quick to condemn the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks in New York City and Washington, describing them as "a tragedy that has no parallel" and saying "I can't imagine anyone this merciless".
Khan has campaigned several times for municipal office in Toronto. The 2006 election was his first federal campaign. His slogan was, "It's not about being different, it's about making a difference".
ElectionDivisionPartyVotes%PlaceWinner
1988 municipalMetro Toronto Council, Scarborough-Malvernn/a1,4733/5Robert Sanders
1990 municipal by-electionToronto Board of Education, Ward Fourn/anot listednot listedFiona Chapman
1991 municipalMetro Toronto Council, High Parkn/a1,5446.623/3Derwyn Shea
1994 municipalMetro Toronto Council, Scarborough-Malvernn/a1,8073/3Raymond Cho
2000 municipalToronto Board of Education, Ward Sevenn/a1,4153/4Irene Atkinson
2003 municipalToronto Board of Education, Ward Twenty-Onen/a4,9382/3Noah Ng
2006 municipalToronto City Council, Ward 28 Toronto Centren/a7315.44/7Pam McConnell
2006 federalScarborough—Rouge RiverIndependent4675/6Derek Lee, Liberal

The 1991 results are taken from a Toronto Star newspaper report on November 13, 1991, with 192 of 196 polls reporting.

Scarborough Southwest">Scarborough Southwest (federal electoral district)">Scarborough Southwest: Trevor Sutton

Sutton was born on February 11, 1972, in Toronto. He has a high school diploma, and listed himself as a hotel worker. It is not clear what ideology he represented in the campaign. He received 147 votes, finishing fifth against Liberal incumbent Tom Wappel.

Sudbury">Sudbury (federal electoral district)">Sudbury: David Popescu

J. David Popescu received 54 votes, finishing eighth against Liberal incumbent Diane Marleau.

Wellington—Halton Hills">Wellington—Halton Hills (federal electoral district)">Wellington—Halton Hills: Michael Wisniewski

Wisniewski, nicknamed "The Wizard", was twenty-one years old at the time of the election. He had graduated from high school the year before and worked part-time at a local Zehrs supermarket.
Although his personal views are close to that of Libertarianism, Wisniewski claimed to have no platform, but rather felt that a Member of Parliament should represent the citizens directly. He proposed the idea that, should he be elected, he would hold regular town meetings to discuss issues concerning the community. He believes the party system should be secondary to representative democracy, and rigorously promoted a higher voter turnout.
Wisniewski received 355 votes, finishing sixth against incumbent Conservative candidate Michael Chong.
Later in 2006, Mike ran for the position of town councillor in the Township of Centre Wellington's Ward 1. He finished third behind former councillor Shawn Watters and Liberal party insider Ed Smith.
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