He was a real estate agent, and was president of the York East Progressive Conservative Riding Association in the 1970s.
Some local Progressive Conservatives later indicated that they deliberately ran a weak campaign in order to give Erola a victory over New Democratic Party incumbent John Rodriguez.
In return, they said, the Liberals agreed to field weak candidates against Sudbury-area Progressive Conservatives in the 1981 provincial election.
[9] The leaders of Ontario's Liberal and New Democratic parties defended Tappenden, and a The Globe and Mail editorial opined that he should be given the right to seek public office.
[10] A board dealing with civil service complaints later decided, by a vote of 2 to 1, that Tappenden had been within his rights to run for office and that the Police Act should be changed.