Joe Oliver loses Ontario PC bid to Roman Baber

Joe Oliver
Joe Oliver

Joe Oliver, the 76-year-old former federal finance minister and former Conservative MP for Toronto’s Eglinton-Lawrence riding, lost his bid for the Ontario Progressive Conservative nomination in the riding of York Centre Sunday night, news agencies are reporting .

EX-FEDERAL FINANCE MINISTER JOE OLIVER SEEKS PROVINCIAL NOD IN YORK CENTRE

Oliver, who is Jewish, was defeated by lawyer Roman Baber, a 36-year-old Russian Jew who moved from Israel to Canada at age 15. Baber beat Oliver, who lost his seat during the Liberal sweep of 2015, by a vote of 711 to 465.

Baber will run for the Tories in the 2018 provincial election, seeking seek to take the seat from the incumbent, Liberal Monte Kwinter – also Jewish – who, at 85, is the oldest MPP in Ontario’s history.