Bev Shipley incumbent Member of Parliament has officially been acclaimed as the Conservative candidate for Lambton-Kent-Middlesex. The announcement was made by Bob Saunders, President of the local conservative riding association in a press release yesterday.
“Pursuant to our national constitution the deadline for receiving applications expired at 5:00 PM on March 13 and Bev was the only candidate to put his name forward. Our riding association is very pleased to have Bev as our candidate once again. We are confident and hopeful he will be re-eleced for our party in the 2015 election.”
Shipley was first elected as the Member of Parliament for LKM in 2006 and was re-elected in 2008 and 2011, by increased margins of victory in each election. “We believe we are fortunate to have a candidate of Bev Shipley’s calibre,” said Saunders. “Bev is known throughout Lambton-Kent-Middlesex as an effective MP, who works hard and gets results.” Saunders says even those who may not agree with everything the government does would acknowledge Bev is a caring, compassionate and honourable man who sacrifices a lot of his private and family time to be present at as many events as he can.” However Saunders believes it is Shipley’s loyalty, character and dedication which have garnered the trust of his colleagues on all sides of the House. “People naturally like Bev. They see him as a genuine, down-to-earth guy who is the same no matter the circumstances people meet him.”
Saunders said it is those same qualities which caught the eye of the Prime Minister who appointed Shipley to chair the Southwest caucus in 2011 and to accompany him on a recent trade mission to South America. “Bev was a key member of the International Trade Committee during a time when the government significantly increased the number of free trade agreements Canada has around the world. In January of this year Bev was elected chair of the Standing Committee on Agriculture, regarded by most as plumb post for an MP who represents a riding with a strong and diverse farming agricultural industry.
For his part Shipley he was humbled to be his party’s candidate once again. “In accepting the nomination, I am thankful for the support of my family and the hundreds of dedicated volunteers who have supported me in every way over these past eight years, and who I also know I can count on to be there for us in the next election.”
