Doug Ford has taken the unprecedented step of appointing 11 Progressive Conservative candidates to run in the June 7 election, including the son of former premier Mike Harris.

The Tory leader, who took the reins March 10 in the wake of former leader Patrick Brown’s departure, placed his own stamp on the party Saturday with a flurry of appointments.

Even though there was interest from many would-be MPPs to contest the nomination, Ford said the election is “only 47 days away” so he needed to move quickly.

“We have a strong team of candidates who are committed to delivering change that works for the people. It’s time for a government that respects the taxpayer, a government that keeps its promises and puts money back into your pockets,” he said in a statement.

Mike Harris Jr., whose father was premier from 1995 until 2002, was named the candidate in Kitchener—Conestoga, succeeding MPP Michael Harris, no relation, who was prevented from seeking re-election over allegations he sexted a former intern in 2013.

Ford made the appointment despite the fact Harris Jr., had lost the nomination battle to Dan Weber in the neighbouring riding of Waterloo two weeks ago and there were several other candidates interested in running Kitchener—Conestoga.

His late father, Doug Ford Sr., had served as a PC MPP in the first term of the Harris government, from 1995 until 1999.

In Barrie—Springwater—Oro-Medonte, where former leader Brown had planned to run before being derailed by a CTV News story alleging sexual impropriety, Ford appointed lawyer Doug Downey.

Brown has denied the allegations and is suing CTV News, which stands by the Jan. 24 story that led to the tumult in the Tory party.

Supporters of the former leader had initially hoped MP Alex Nuttall or former MPP Garfield Dunlop, both of whom are close to Brown, might carry the PC banner there.

Ironically, Brown and his team had been criticized for being seen to meddle in local nominations, which fuelled grassroots movements like Take Back Our PC Party, which publicly called on him to abide by the Tory constitution, which normally disallows appointments.

There had been allegations of ballot-stuffing and other irregularities in past Tory candidate nominations and Hamilton police have an active criminal probe into accusations of fraud and forgery in the Hamilton West—Ancaster—Dundas nomination last May.

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Also Saturday, Ford named former senior Toronto police officer Gary Ellis, a past PC candidate, in Scarborough Southwest, educator Christina Mitas in Scarborough Centre, police officer Roshan Nallaratnam in Scarborough Guildwood, lawyer Meredith Cartwright in Toronto Centre, and public servant Andrew Kirsch in St. Paul’s.

Other appointments were former radio talk show host Andrew Lawton in London West, management consultant Colleen McCleery in Ottawa Centre, former city councillor Ray Ferraro in Guelph, and Jib Turner in Algoma-Manitoulin.

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