MORRISBURG – Local Member of Parliament Eric Duncan clarified his involvement in a South Dundas mayoral campaign following claims made last week he was on a campaign team.
“I am involved in no municipal campaigns,” Duncan told The Leader June 15. “I spoke to numerous people that are running for different levels in different municipalities – I give advice to people all the time.”
Duncan clarified his position after mayoral candidate and former South Dundas councillor Bill Ewing claimed earlier in the week that Duncan was part of his campaign team.
“I have a couple of pretty big politicians. Eric Duncan is assisting with my campaign,” Ewing told The Leader in an interview June 13 following filing his nomination papers.
Duncan reiterated multiple times that he will give advice to anyone running in a municipal election who asks.
“I give advice to people thinking about running for office,” Duncan explained. “I’ve had men, women, Liberals, Conservatives – different people that are interested in running for office that I give my advice to on how to run a campaign.”
He went on to say that Ewing has been a long-time volunteer with “the Conservative team.”
“I know Bill, he’s been a supporter of mine, but I don’t endorse or support any campaign teams,” Duncan continued. “As an MP I don’t think it’s appropriate to endorse or be on a team, but I’ll give lots of people advice on running a campaign locally, and what it means to serve on council. I’ve been a mayor, I’ve been there. I want good people on council so I’ll speak to anyone who wants advice.”
Duncan joked he is busy enough as MP that “I don’t have enough time to be in all those campaigns.”
Ewing, a towing business operator, has run in every municipal election campaign since amalgamation. He last served as councillor during the 2014-18 term of council and was defeated in 2018 in his bid for the deputy mayor’s chair.
He is one of two candidates vying for mayor this election. The other is current deputy mayor Kirsten Gardner.
Nominations for the 2022 municipal election opened May 2 and will close August 19 at 2 p.m. Voters will go to the polls October 24.