Barrie city councillor Sergio Morales has set his sights on a federal seat in Ottawa as the Conservative nominee in the riding of Barrie-Springwater-Oro-Medonte, but first he needs to secure the party's nomination.
Having served Barrie’s Ward 9 since 2014, the sitting councillor told BarrieToday he felt the time was right with the riding's current MP, Alex Nuttall, having announced on Monday he would not seek re-election in the fall.
“I came here in 2002 from Bogota, Colombia and the community has invested so much in me and shaped me who I am as a person. It is definitely time to give back,” said Morales.
Morales says Nuttall was aware of his intention to run for the nomination.
"His passion to public service is humbling, and I commend him for his commitment to our community and his family," Morales said. "That said, I do think it is time to step up and send a message right away to our local community and anyone watching outside of Barrie that we have local talent, passionate people and we don’t take the privilege of having a strong MP in Ottawa lightly.”
Morales won the 2014 municipal election handily with 51.63 per cent of the vote and was the only city candidate acclaimed in Barrie's 2018 election.
With so much support in his ward, the 25-year-old Morales said he understands there may be mixed feelings from his constituents as he embarks on a campaign for the Barrie-Springwater-Oro-Medonte riding, which includes the city's north end, but says he will not let this new pursuit affect his current job.
“Ward 9 residents will continue to get exactly the kind of representation they’ve come to expect from me,” said Morales. “I think when you’re serving your constituents, there is no right or wrong time to do something. You just have to know you’re doing it for the right reasons.
"I gave this a lot of thought over a lot of time and I know it is the right time," he added. "For the last four years, I have served Ward 9 with passion and have produced great results. I am still serving Ward 9, just like yesterday, there is no change to that. If I am successful in being elected, I know that somebody of that passion will step up, Ward 9 will not miss out.”
While federal elections are still seven months away, should Morales be successful in securing the party's nomination and winning the riding, city council woud either need to appoint someone for Ward 9 or have a byelection for the position. Being that it is so early in the term, a bye-election would be the likely option.
Morales also told BarrieToday he wanted to address anyone who questioned his knowledge of an area that sits at the opposite end of the city from Ward 9.
“I grew up in Barrie, specifically in Ward 1 in the north end and even went to St. Monica’s for elementary school and St. Joseph’s for high school,” Morales said. “The community I grew up with has definitely been Springwater, Midhurst, Shanty Bay, Oro-Medonte and that north-Barrie community.
"I am very proud of the fact that I have represented a growing ward, but I am very excited to further represent the communities I grew up in and the region as a whole," he added.
It's unclear when the Conservatives plan to pick their nominee or who else could run.
The federal election is set for Monday, Oct. 21.
