By Doug Draper
They’ve left some pretty big shoes, but Cindy Forster sounds confident she can fill them.
Cindy Forster
The regional councillor for Welland, Ontario and former mayor of the same city has announced her intentions to run for the nomination of the New Democratic Party in a Welland Riding that has been painted in thick layers of NDP orange for the past 36 years by two of that provincial party’s icons – Mel Swart and Peter Kormos.
“I want to continue holding this riding (which also takes in the southern fringes of St. Catharines, Thorold and Port Colborne) as an NDP seat at Queen’s Park and I feel I am best positioned to do that,” said Forster in an interview with Niagara At Large this July 5.
“I really look forward to the challenge.”Forster is getting into the race in the wake of Kormos’s decision last month not to run for another term after a more than 20-year stay in power following the retirement of the late Mel Swart.
“As a regional councillor,” said the 58-year-old Forster, “you make a commitment to the community. But I think I can be a strong voice at Queen’s Park. After more than 20 years in municipal politics, she added, she feels she can carry the concerns of municipalities to the provincial legislature with some hope of getting results.
Forster said she is already has supporters working on beyond the borders of Welland to Thorold and Port Colborne where she may be less well known. The nomination meeting for the NDP candidacy is scheduled for this August 7 and the provincial election takes place on Oct. 6.
As a non-partisan online news and commentary site, Niagara At Large will look forward to posting pieces on the Liberal and Conservative candidates running in this riding.
In the meantime, visit Niagara At Large at www.niagaraatlarge.com for more news and commentary on matters of interest and concern to our greater Niagara region and beyond. And please support this site by encouraging your friends and associates to visit it.
Niagara At Large 
Congrats Cindy…Knock em out of the Park
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Good luck to Cindy and may the wishes of the people prevail.
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From an old co-worker, good luck.
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Nothing new here… the New Delusionals can run a spent bottle cap in that riding and win.
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The publisher of Niagara At Large rarely weighs in with a comment of his own to a post on this site. But I feel I must on this one. I have received a few comments already that constitute personal attacks on Dave Chappelle, whose had the courage to express a view contrary to those who support Cindy Forster’s candidacy. One of those views passed through the automated moderator for this site and made an appearance. It has now been removed with apologies to Mr. Chappelle. It is one thing to have an intelligent debate or discussion about a political candidate or any other subject here. But to come out with some line like the person with a different point of view is seemingly so stupid they can’t shine their own shoes is out of bounds. Personal attacks like that contribute less than nothing to the discussion and I would rather shut down this site than allow it to be used and abused as a venue for that kind of stuff.
Doug Draper, Niagara At Large.
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We are new to the Port Colborne area and are requesting a large sign on our corner lot at 101 James Ave.
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