VAUGHAN, Ont. - Former Ontario Provincial Police Commissioner Julian Fantino's bid to win a seat in the House of Commons is attracting a protest today.
A pair of Caledonia, Ont. residents who started an anti-Fantino group plan to protest outside his campaign office in Vaughan, north of Toronto.
Gary McHale and Mark Vandermaas set up the group to try to stop Fantino from winning a seat for the Conservatives in a byelection set for Nov. 29.
Earlier this week, Elections Canada rejected the group's application for third-party status which would have allowed it to spend up to $3,700 in advertising.
Fantino retired as head of the provincial police this summer.
Some observers consider him a front-runner in the race in the Toronto-area riding.
McHale and Vandermaas say they plan to protest outside Fantino's office at least four times before the vote.
Fantino and McHale have butted heads since the 2006 aboriginal occupation in Caledonia.
Fantino has accused McHale of baiting police and provoking confrontations during rallies at the site of the occupation.
McHale alleges Fantino directed provincial police to ignore infractions committed by the aboriginal occupiers.
The Vaughan riding was previously held by Liberal Maurizio Bevilacqua (bev-eel-AH-kwa), who was elected the city's new mayor last month.
Byelections will also be held Nov. 29 in the Dauphin-Swan River-Marquette and Winnipeg North ridings in Manitoba.
