was born on October 28, 1947, in Peterborough. He has a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Western Ontario and later attended Teacher's College, but he was unable to graduate due to health issues. He was convicted of robbery in his twenties and spent two years at a penitentiary in Kingston, though he maintains his innocence in the matter. His biography indicates that he has worked as a farmer, as a bartender, as a mail service worker, and in construction. Bowers is a frequent candidate for public office in Peterborough. In 2000, he called for referendums on all major public issues. During the 2003 election, he supported increases to disability allowance and the provincial minimum wage. He unsuccessfully sought the New Democratic Party nomination for the 1997 federal election, and, in 2003, he acknowledged that he could not win and asked his supporters to vote for provincial NDP candidate Dave Nickle. An activist for the rights of the disabled, Bowers has openly acknowledged that he suffers from schizophrenia. He frequently picketed the Peterborough branch of the Canadian Mental Health Association in the mid-2000s (decade), accusing it of discrimination and non-accountability. As of 2010, the Ontario Human Rights Commission is reviewing his complaint against a local café. Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke: Paul Kelly Paul Kelly (born 1963 in Renfrew County) was awarded a BA in political science from Dalhousie University in the 1980s. He worked as director of development for the Pembroke General Hospital Foundation as well as serving as an assistant to provincial cabinet ministers from 1995 to 2002. Scarborough-Guildwood: Andrew C. Thomas Andrew C. Thomas was born on 4 February 1981. In the election, he received 82 votes, 0.2% of the total in his riding. He is the first Canadian to run an open source campaign entirely at the candidate level and used a wiki for his campaign. Scarborough—Rouge River: Yaqoob Khan Dr. Yaqoob Khan was born in India, and practiced medicine in Somalia, Peru and Guyana before moving to Canada. He taught in elementary schools for twenty-two years, retiring around 1990. A community activist, he is an advocate for youth and seniors' issues and a supporter of community policing. He has been president and chief executive officer of the Canadian Institute of Islamic Studies for many years, and has advised the federal and provincial governments on race relations. He helped organize a 1984 meeting of Muslim and Sikh groups in