'I'm putting it all on the line,' Thibeault says

Thibeault, it turns out, is the “unnamed candidate” Andrew Olivier referred to at his news conference Monday. Olivier revealed he was pressured to quietly withdraw his bid for the Liberal nomination in Sudbury, since the party intended to appoint someone else as its candidate.

Olivier alleged he was told he would receive a party job or appointment if he left quietly, allegations the NDP and Progressive Conservatives want investigated as possible breaches of Ontario's Elections Act.

While not commenting on Olivier's allegations, Thibeault said he hopes he stays involved with the party in the long run.

“It is difficult,” Thibeault said. “I have the utmost respect for Andrew. So much so that I gave the man a Diamond Jubilee Medal a few years ago. He is nothing but a strong and dedicated individual that I see, someday hopefully, being part of the team.

“He is someone I have loads of respect for. I have nothing negative to say about Andrew.”
But the sudden resignation by NDP MPP Joe Cimino last month, and Thibeault's growing unhappiness with his former party, presented him with a difficult decision, one he knew would upset former NDP colleagues and – some Liberals – in Sudbury.

“It really wasn't an easy decision, to be very honest,” he said. “My time with the NDP has come to an end … Things weren't going the way I had always hoped. So some close friends and colleagues spoke to me about considering provincial politics. From there, things moved quite quickly.

“Joe's sudden resignation from provincial politics has created an opening for something that I've always been really, really engaged in. Those are things that happen at the provincial level – health care, education, post-secondary – there's so many things.”

He spent the last couple of weeks consulting with his family and close friends, and took some time even after he decided to make the switch before making it official. Thibeault acknowledges his former friends and colleagues feel let down, and some members of the public will look at his decision with a cynical view.

But he insists he based the decision on the fact he could serve the community best -- and work on the issues he cares about most -- in government.

“Politics is a very passionate sport, if you want to look at it that way,” he said. “I have nothing but positive things to say about the great people that I've worked with over the last six years. I know many of them are going to be upset with me, angry with me. And I understand that and respect that.”

As far as it being a cynical decision, Thibeault said aside from being appointed the Liberal candidate, nothing else is guaranteed. He's taking a chance that people will look past the controversial aspects of his decision and support him.

“Don't forget, I still have to win a byelection,” he said. “I'm putting it all on the line, here.

“When I made my decision, I made it based on what's best for my family, and what's best for my community. I absolutely love being the voice for my community, and being able to help people in my community. Where I can do that best now is at the provincial level.”

While he has resigned from the NDP caucus – the party has already removed him from their caucus list and deactivated his website – he's still Sudbury's MP and will spend the next couple of weeks closing files he's working on, and closing his offices in Ottawa and Sudbury before he resigns.

Then he'll focus on the byelection in Sudbury, which he expects Premier Kathleen Wynne will call sooner, rather than later. Does he have any insight when the vote will be called?

“I wish I had that answer for you – you may want to ask the premier that question,” he said.

And for people who view his decision cynically, that he's an opportunist taking advantage of a chance to be in government, perhaps even in cabinet, Thibeault insists his motivation is to serve Sudburians more effectively than he could as a disgruntled MP with the New Democrats.

“People can look at my record, they can look at my stance, they can look at who I am as an individual,” he said. “The people who know me understand that I base all of my decisions, as I said before, on what's best for my community, my city and my family.

“I really am doing this because many of the issues I'm passionate about are at the provincial level. And I can really get in and do a great job the folks of Sudbury, if they give me the honour of being their representative again.”