▁against ▁one ▁another ▁for ▁re - nom ination ▁in ▁some ▁rid ings . ▁ ▁W ett lau fer ▁ran ▁for ▁the ▁K itch ener ▁Centre ▁PC ▁nom ination ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 9 ▁defe ating ▁fellow ▁PC ▁member ▁Gary ▁Le ad ston . ▁W ett lau fer ▁was ▁re - elect ed ▁in ▁the ▁provincial ▁election ▁of ▁ 1 9 9 9 , ▁defe ating ▁Liberal ▁Ber ry ▁V r ban ov ic ▁by ▁over ▁ 4 , 0 0 0 ▁votes ▁in ▁the ▁red ist ributed ▁r iding ▁of ▁K itch ener ▁Centre . ▁ ▁He ▁was ▁appointed ▁to ▁the ▁position ▁of ▁deput y ▁wh ip ▁after ▁the ▁election , ▁and ▁continued ▁in ▁his ▁role ▁as ▁a ▁back ben cher ▁throughout ▁his ▁time ▁in ▁the ▁legisl ature . ▁ ▁As ▁a ▁back ben cher , ▁he ▁passed ▁a ▁Private ▁Member ' s ▁Bill ▁design ating ▁the ▁day ▁after ▁Thanks g iving ▁in ▁each ▁year ▁as ▁German ▁P ione ers ▁Day ▁in ▁Ontario . ▁In ▁the ▁provincial ▁election ▁of ▁ 2 0 0 3 , ▁W ett lau fer ▁lost ▁to ▁Liberal ▁candidate ▁John ▁Mil loy ▁by ▁just ▁over ▁ 2 , 0 0 0 ▁votes . ▁ ▁W ett lau fer ▁end ors ed ▁Frank ▁Kle es ▁for ▁the ▁leadership ▁of ▁the ▁Ontario ▁PC ▁Party ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 4 ▁and ▁ 2 0 0 9 . ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 5 , ▁he ▁v ied ▁for ▁the ▁PC ▁nom ination ▁in ▁the ▁Federal ▁r iding ▁of ▁K itch