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Local Liberals hope to have a Barrie candidate in place by Monday for the June 12 provincial election.

Stephen Bertelsen, president of the Ontario Liberal Party's Barrie Provincial Riding Association, said there was a conference call Sunday morning with Toronto party officials.

We are now in the midst of having three individuals interviewed, of high profile, so that announcement will come shortly, he said Sunday morning. I'm hoping by tomorrow (Monday) you'll have your candidate.

It is pressing, as Barrie is win-able, so we want to find the right person.

Rod Jackson of the Progressive Conservatives is the incumbent Barrie MPP, having won the riding in 2011. Liberal Aileen Carroll was the previous MPP, although she did not run for re-election almost three years ago. Before Carroll, PC Joe Tascona held the Barrie riding for about 12 years.

Bertlesen later said there were more than three potential Liberal candidates for Barrie.

There are a number of people right now being approached, he said. We have gone through an interview process with several, and so right now we have tasks that we need to complete.

On May 1, Ontario's Liberal minority government unveiled its provincial budget. New Democratic Pary leader Andrea Horwath announced the next morning, May 2, that she would vote against the budget. PC boss Tim Hudak said before the budget that his MPPs would not support it.

The same day, May 2, Premier Kathleen Wynne visited Lt.-Gov. David Onley and asked him to dissolve the Ontario legislature, and the request was granted for a June 12 election.

Given this happened more than a week ago, Bertelsen was asked Sunday why the Barrie Liberals still don't have a candidate.

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Barrie Liberals hope to pick candidate soon