Benefiting from vote-splitting between the Progressive Conservatives and the Reform Party, he was the first Liberal since 1935 to win a seat in this area in the House of Commons.
McCormick was Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food.
McCormick's seat was merged with parts of the former riding of Lanark—Carleton, forcing him into a contest with that riding's Conservative incumbent, Scott Reid in the 2004 election.
With the end of vote-splitting on the right, Reid won the seat by over 10,000 votes.
He was married to wife Reta and had one child, a daughter, Kayla.