Craig said he hasn't belonged to a political party since becoming Cambridge mayor in 2000. In the mid-1970s, he signed up with the NDP to support a friend who was running at the time, but he says he never was an ardent member.

Parties have sought him out many times in the past, Craig said.

"I've been asked by everybody you could imagine over the years," he said. "Federally, provincially, everything. I see this as an opportunity to once again serve the community."

Craig expects the nomination meeting will be held early in 2019, perhaps in February.

"I'm putting together a group now," Craig said. "We're going to go after the nomination. We're going to go after the seat and we're working on it now. We're in the very preliminary, early stages."

Craig, who chaired his final city council meeting last week, says he is eager to serve Cambridge again.

"I'm not retired. I have a lot of energy to continue on and I want to do it in a productive way. I have a track record of getting things done and making good decisions, I believe, that will help the community."

Cambridge's federal riding association could not be reached for comment early Monday afternoon.

The Cambridge NDP riding association is gearing up for a nomination race in the early February, and candidates are still coming forward.

"It is early," said Marjorie Knight, who ran for the provincial NDP in Cambridge in June.

Meanwhile, the Cambridge riding association of the new People's Party of Canada, created by former Tory Max Bernier, met on Saturday. David Millard Haskell, a Cambridge resident and Wilfrid Laurier University professor, put his name forward to be the People's Party candidate for the riding.

Haskell, a vocal opponent of censorship on university campuses, noted that Craig obviously has strong name recognition in the riding.

"And now it just got interesting ..." Haskell said.

jhicks@therecord.com

Twitter: @HicksJD

jhicks@therecord.com

Twitter: @HicksJD