announced he would be a candidate for the Progressive Conservative leadership convention in 1998. He developed a plan to revitalize the party's flagging poll numbers by encouraging direct democracy, pardoning individuals convicted on marijuana possession, cutting government pensions and making the words to O Canada gender neutral. Baldasaro was forced to withdraw when he could not meet the filing fee and threatened legal action against the party when they refused to waive $30,000 entrance fee. Two years later, in 2000, Baldasaro attempted to join the Canadian Alliance leadership race. His plans again involved legalizing marijuana, but this time also favoured abolishing political parties altogether. He openly admitted that the challenge was mostly for publicity, and that he did not expect to win against the likes of Preston Manning or Stockwell Day. He was dissuaded, once more, by the party's $25,000 leadership nomination fee. In 2007, Baldasaro started a campaign to save Hamilton's Center Mall from conversion into a 'power center' operated by SmartCenters. In 2007, during Hamilton City Council's debate over the renovation of City Hall, Baldasaro and Tucker sent a letter addressed to Mayor Fred Eisenberger and City Council, requesting they move municipal operations to Stelco Tower, in Hamilton's downtown core. Baldasaro was a candidate for the 2010 Hamilton Municipal Elections, once again running for Mayor. He finished fourth in a field of fifteen candidates, with 2.1% of the vote. In the 2014 Hamilton Municipal Elections Baldasaro stood for Mayor and finished with 2.9% of the vote in a field of twelve candidates. Death Baldasaro died of cancer on June 9, 2016, aged 67. Notes References The Hamilton Spectator archives 1991 to Present, via Lexis Nexis Academic – Accessed June 3, 2010 City of Hamilton Website, public correspondence – Accessed June 3, 2010 Church of the Universe Website, to provide extra reference – Accessed June 3, 2010 External links House of Commons election history by riding 1949 births 2016 deaths Ontario candidates for Member of Parliament Progressive Conservative Party of Canada leadership candidates Marijuana Party (Canada) candidates for the Canadian House of Commons Independent candidates in the 2000 Canadian federal election Libertarian Party of Canada candidates in the 1984 Canadian federal election Canadian religious leaders People from Hamilton, Ontario Canadian libertarians Deaths from cancer in Ontario