Gloria Kovach

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Conservative Party of Canada candidate for MP for Guelph
Gloria Kovach B.Ed, MScN

Election date TBA
Opponent(s)	Frank Valeriote (Liberal) Tom King (New Democratic Party) Mike Nagy (Green)
Incumbent	none following the resignation of Brenda Chamberlain (Liberal)

Political party	Conservative Party of Canada

Gloria Kovach is a Canadian politician. She has been a Councillor for the City of Guelph, Ontario since 1991, and is a former President of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities.

Kovach is a registered nurse with a Bachelor of Health Science, a Bachelor of Education, a Masters degree in Nursing.

During her 17 year tenure on council representing Ward 4, Kovach has been a member of the Guelph Police Services Board, the River Run Centre Board, the Fire Allocation Committee, the Social Services Committee, the Finance, Community Services, the Museums Board, the Guelph General Hospital Board and currently chairs the newly formed Governance and Economic Development committee.

In addition to her experience on Council, Gloria is active in numerous community volunteer work including Board of CNIB, Breast Awareness trainer for the Canadian Cancer Society, Dragon Boat racer, volunteer for Communities in Bloom, Past Vice President of the Westhills-Parkwood Gardens Neighborhood Association, Speed River cleanups and supports many other community initiatives. She is a member of the Guelph Legion, Branch 234, and a member of the Guelph Chamber of Commerce. Due to her community involvement, she has been recognized in Guelph as a "Woman of Distinction" Nominee,^[1] and received the YM/YWCA 2006 Peace Medal in recognition for her community work, especially her work with the Canadian Federation of Municipalities to improve relationships between Palestinian and Israeli communities. ^[2]

Kovach has been recognized by the United Nations for her work building sustainable communities in Jinja, Uganda, and in the Czech Republic.^[3]

In February 2007, Kovach declared her intention to seek the nomination for the Conservative Party of Canada for the Guelph federal electoral district. The Conservative nomination meeting, held on March 20, 2007, at the River Run Centre in Guelph found Kovach on the losing end of the vote that saw Brent Barr, a local businessman, garner the nomination of the party.

Immediately following her unsuccessful bid for the nomination, she was removed without cause from her position as President of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities. The Federation issued a statement indicating that her removal had nothing to do with her performance as President of the Federation reinforcing speculation that she was removed due to her affiliation with the Conservative Party.^[4]

In December 2007, Kovach was named the new candidate for the Conservative Party after controversy erupted when former candidate Brent Barr was removed. The Conservative Party subsequently held an open nomination contest, during which Kovach garnered the nomination. [1] In March 2008, incumbent Liberal MP Brenda Chamberlain announced her intention to resign her seat effective April 7, 2008. A writ of election for the riding must be issued within six months of the vacancy meaning that, unless there is an intervening federal election, a by-election will be held to fill the vacancy. If she is elected to parliament Kovach would be required by law to step down as City Councillor for Ward 4.

On December 31, 2007, the Guelph Mercury announced that Kovach was that paper's "Female Newsmaker of the Year" for 2007.^[5]