Bob Verdun is originally the owner of the Elmira Independent newspaper. He became quite well off after selling it (to Southam, I believe) and his family's large property holdings and decided to become a gadfly investor. He's quite eccentric, but he's very well known in the business community as an investor rights activist. He shows up at hundreds of board meetings to attack entrenched management. The former CEO of Clarica, for example, is suing him for libel. Recently, he's gotten involved with Harry's projects. He bizarrely keeps running for Waterloo region chair. He's a fringe candidate despite all his money, since he doesn't seem to make any effort to campaign.