The embattled, former leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario will be unable to run in the upcoming provincial election.
“The unanimous decision of the Provincial Nomination Committee was that Patrick Brown will not be an eligible candidate for nomination in Barrie—Springwater—Oro-Medonte," said party president Jag Badwal in a statement issued Thursday evening.
Around the same time that Badwal's statement was issued, Brown tweeted that "after much thought" he would not be running in the provincial election.
"I am confident that Barrie – Springwater – Oro-Medonte will have a PC Party Candidate that will hit the ground running and work hard on behalf of our constituents," Brown said in another tweet. "Thank you to the people of #Barrie and Simcoe County for your unwavering support over the last 17 years."
Brown stepped down as Tory leader in late January, hours after CTV News reported that two unnamed women had come forward with “graphic sexual misconduct allegations” against him. The claims date back to when Brown served as a federal MP, but Brown has called the allegations “categorically untrue”.
The former leader was removed from the Ontario PC Caucus in February. Shortly after, he entered the provincial PC leadership race, which has been triggered by his resignation, in an attempt to regain his position. However, Brown eventually dropped out, citing political attacks against this friends and family.
