Neumann acclaimed as Tory candidate

FORT FRANCES—District Conservatives acclaimed Neebing resident Richard Neumann on Friday night as their candidate in the next federal election.
“Sooner or later, there’s going to be another election and we want to be ready,” said Arie Grootenboer, president of the Thunder Bay-Rainy River Conservative Electoral District Association (EDA).
Nearly 20 people attended the nomination meeting Friday night at the Emo Legion Friday night. A second meeting was held Saturday in Thunder Bay.
Neumann thanked the members for their support—and promised to give the other candidates a run for their money in the next election.
“I will work hard for you until the votes are counted, and I will work even harder for you after that,” he pledged.
“Electing Liberals is no longer acceptable,” he added.
Neumann also outlined his strategy for Northwestern Ontario.
“We are not a region in decline, but we are a region in seemingly perpetual transition,” he remarked.
“We need to identify those businesses we wish to attract, and then aggressively court them.”
Some party members also spoke in support of Neumann, including Brian Williams, a Rainy River District resident and one of the Conservative EDA’s vice-presidents.
“He’s very organized, hard-working, efficient,” Williams said. “I think he’ll be an excellent candidate. I think he’d be an excellent MP.”
Neumann has been president of the Conservative EDA in the Thunder Bay area for eight of the last 10 years.
He served 12 years in the Canadian Armed Forces (Navy) and now is a chartered insurance professional.
Jason Hughes, vice-chair of the nomination committee, noted the committee approached eight other individuals to determine their interest in seeking the nomination, but all declined.
Thunder Bay-Rainy River MP Ken Boshcoff was acclaimed by the Liberals at a nomination meeting in Thunder Bay in November. NDP candidate John Rafferty was acclaimed in February.
Last week, Russ Aegard won the nomination for the Green Party over Dr. Terry Hill.