incumbent Brian Masse. York West: Axcel Cocon Cocon was born on January 17, 1951, in Guatemala. According to his 2006 campaign biography, he worked as a journalist, practiced law after receiving a degree from the Universidad de San Carlos, and was a diplomatic ambassador to the United Nations. He contends that he was forced to leave Guatemala after writing a story critical of the army. Cocon is a founding member of the Latin American Fraternity in Windsor, and a Board Member of the Centre for Spanish Speaking People in Toronto. Cocon ran for Mayor of Toronto in 2003, calling for an ombudsman to settle disputes between voters and the municipal bureaucracy. He was a last-minute entry to the 2006 federal election. A Toronto Star report indicates that he stormed out of a debate at York University following a disagreement with the moderator. Cocon applied for a temporary appointment to Toronto's 30th and 35th Council Wards on separate occasions in 2006, following the resignation of the previous office-holders (both vacancies were filled by a vote of city councillors). He did not receive any votes on either occasion. He ran for a seat in the 35th ward in the 2006 municipal elections, and finished last in a field of thirteen candidates. He repeated his call for a municipal ombudsman, and urged the city to provide free transportation and lunches for students. Manitoba Churchill: Brad Bodnar Bodnar was born in September 1964. He holds a high school diploma from Margaret Barbour Collegiate Institute, has taken a residential electrical course at Keewatin Community College, and is a graduate from Vancouver Film School in computer animation. Although he has management experience, taught martial arts, and worked in various trades, he describes himself as an artist. During the 2006 election, a writer identifying himself as Brad Bodnar posted several comments to a CBC discussion board on the Churchill riding. He described his campaign as being focused on equality and accountability issues. Bodnar currently represents his community of The Pas as a town councillor. Bodnar received 146 votes (0.58%), finishing sixth against Liberal candidate Tina Keeper. Footnotes