Former Conservative MPP Garfield Dunlop believes the Ontario PC party may be trying to stop him from becoming a candidate in Barrie-Springwater-Oro-Medonte in the June election.

Dunlop filed the nomination paperwork three weeks ago and has yet to receive a response from the party.  

“No one had the common courtesy to call me back and asked me if I was interested in running or not,” Dunlop told CTV News Barrie.

Former Ontario PC leader Patrick Brown was going to run in the riding.  Dunlop believes he hasn’t heard a response because of his connection to Brown.

“I guess because I’m closely tied to Patrick Brown the people that are making the decisions decided that they don’t want Garfield Dunlop, they don’t even want to communicate with me,” he said.

Garfield and other party members in the Barrie area are concerned the Tories will parachute someone into the riding instead of holding an open nomination.

"If you parachute someone in here, they’re going to be in a tough problem because people won't volunteer, they won't donate and they won't vote," said Dunlop.

"We want a local candidate, we've got quite a talent bank, quite a cadre of people, qualified people who would do a great job representing us at Queen's Park,” said Scott Macpherson,vice-president of the PC'sriding association in Barrie-Springwater-Oro-Medonte.

PC leader Doug Ford says it’s out of his hands.

“I don't get involved in the provincial nominating committee, I don't make the deals that took place in the past, I have full confidence in the provincial nominating committee and they'll make that decision."