Political Career
Bryden was first elected to the Canadian House of Commons as a member of the Liberal Party of Canada during the Liberal sweep of Ontario in the 1993 election.
He was re-elected in the 1997 election for the riding of Wentworth-Burlington, and again in the 2000 election, in the riding of Ancaster-Dundas-Flamborough-Aldershot.
He supported Deputy Prime Minister John Manley to succeed the retiring Jean Chrétien. This brought an end to his political career, as Manley was unable to make much headway against frontrunner Paul Martin, who not only had a large lead in polls but also controlled much of the party machinery. Apparently in retaliation, Bryden's renomination was not guaranteed and his electoral district was abolished, forcing him into an uphill battle against a Martin loyalist. In February 2004, he left the Liberal Party to join the Conservative Party of Canada, citing disagreement with the actions and policies of the newly-chosen Liberal leader Martin, notably criticizing Martin's vindictiveness and blaming him for the Sponsorship scandal. Bryden was unable to gain the Conservative nomination for his riding of Ancaster-Dundas-Flamborough-Westdale in the 2004 federal election, and he retired from politics.
Read more about this topic: John H. Bryden
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