Three people are currently vying to represent the Liberal Party for this riding in the next federal election.
According to the Liberal riding website, the following individuals have come forward and have submitted their intent to stand as contestants for the federal Liberal nomination in Wellington-Halton Hills.
Potential candidates marked with an asterisk (*) are currently awaiting approval from the Liberal Party of Canada’s “Green Light Committee” in order to officially have their names on the nomination ballot.
Diane Ballantyne*
Diane Ballantyne is an award-winning teacher with a passion for youth engagement.
Ballantyne has developed powerful programs for youth; co-creating a unique Social Justice Package with a “learn global, think local” approach, championing the Student Vote program, and facilitating all-candidates debates in her school and community.
Ballantyne regularly presents at professional conferences, has guided hundreds of students over five continents and has authored educational resources, most recently for TVOntario.
Ballantyne has a deep sense of community service, volunteering with the Centre Wellington Social Justice Group, the Fair Trade Working Group, and coaching.
She was an active board member with a local cooperative preschool and has held positions with OSSTF at the local, district and provincial levels. Instrumental in bringing the Early Years Centre to Fergus through her work with the Wellington County Planning Table, she has also coordinated countless student hours at the Food Bank and the Wellington Terrace Long-Term Care Home.
Born and raised in Hamilton, Ballantyne now lives along the banks of the Grand River in Fergus with her three teenagers. She enjoys reading, running and outdoor activities.
Andrew Mimnagh*
Throughout his life, Mimnagh has worked hard to support his family, taking with him key lessons he learned from his parents.
He states “Simply put, my parents taught me both to care and act responsibly, because when you love what you do, then success surely follows.”
Mimnagh has built several businesses from scratch, employing hundreds.
An enthusiastic, committed and lifelong Liberal supporter, Mimnagh pledges his skills and more to everyone as a nominee and candidate.
Dr. Don Trant
Trant is a recently retired physician and healthcare leader from Halton Hills, where he and his wife Mary Lou have lived, worked and raised their four children over 35 years.
His communication and leadership skills were recognized early in his career, leading to many senior roles including chief of staff and then CEO of Georgetown Hospital.
Under his leadership, the hospital was one of the few in the area to have a balanced budget, and successfully joined with two larger hospitals to form William Osler Health Centre.
As vice president of this new organization, he oversaw 800 staff from three diverse communities.
In all of these positions, Trant became known for his ability to listen well, learn quickly, and lead in a collaborative style that achieves results.
“I love tackling new things” he says.
“Politics is an extension of everything I’ve done in my career. Health is more than a visit to the doctor. It’s about a clean environment, enough to eat, a satisfying job, and living in safe community where people look after each other.”
