Local candidates hit the campaign trail with message that someone has to go

May 16, 2018 · 0 Comments

By Brock Weir

The Provincial election is now officially underway and local candidates have hit the ground running with a similar theme: someone has to go. But whether that someone needs to be Liberal leader Kathleen Wynne or PC leader Doug Ford depends on who you ask.
“We know we can’t afford four more years,” said Newmarket-Aurora Progressive Conservative candidate Christine Elliott at her recent campaign office launch, which was also attended by Mr. Ford and fellow PC leadership candidate Caroline Mulroney. “We have to toss them out and bring in a majority Progressive Conservative government on June. 7. We keep hearing from the Liberals that they are the only ones that care and that is why they are spending these millions and millions of dollars. What I say, saddling our children and grandchildren with the debt that grows by every day that is going to be close to $400 billion in the next few years, that is financially irresponsible.
“With three 27-year-olds, I just can’t look at myself in the mirror and let that go on. We have to stop it and we have to stop it now. They are spending money we don’t have and that would be something maybe if we were getting better services as a result of this increased spending – but we’re not. Do we have better health care? No. Do we have better education? No. Do we have better infrastructure? No. I think the answer is pretty clear. The government has to change and we’re the only ones who are going to be able to do it.”
Ms. Elliott, who previously served as Member of Provincial Parliament for the riding of Whitby-Oshawa said she is “thrilled” to be a candidate in Newmarket-Aurora.
“It is a fascinating riding,” she continued. “I have learned something about it – some things are very similar to where I came from. It Is a quickly growing area. There are concerns with a lot of people who need to travel downtown to get to work. We need to have more public transit options, we need to make sure that people can move goods and services and be able to be home with their families too. We need to make sure the social services continue to grow as infrastructure continues to grow…Those are the things I am learning and want to continue to learn.”
Ms. Elliott then introduced Mr. Ford, who told the gathering of supporters that hydro costs remain a top issue for Ontario voters.
“We announced we’re going to reduce the hydro rates by 12 per cent and that would be a start. 12 per cent equals about $178 in people’s pocket,” said Mr. Ford. “I know it might not seem like a lot to some people, but when you criss-cross a province and people come up to you literally in tears, I am not exaggerating, in tears talking about they can’t afford their hydro bill, or they can’t afford their rent, or they can’t afford to put food on their table, it is as real as I am standing here. It goes to your heart and you see how people are struggling across this Province, you see how businesses are struggling.”
One such business he’s encountered, he said, was in Cornwall where he said businesses are being courted across the river to New York State where hydro is half the cost and there is no carbon tax.
“We are getting rid of the carbon tax, we are lowering the hydro rates, and together we will make this a very business friendly Ontario,” he continued. “We remember saying that we were the engine of Canada and now we’re a have not province. I can assure you that through Christine’s leadership and the rest of the great team we have, we will be the engine of Ontario once again.
“Together, we will turn this Province around. Together, we will get rid of Kathleen Wynne.”
Newmarket-Aurora candidate Chris Ballard, on the other hand, said together voters will get rid of Mr. Ford. This message was echoed by his fellow Liberal, Minister Michael Chan, who is not running for re-election.
Mr. Chan joined Mr. Ballard for his campaign office opening where he took aim at Mr. Ford’s record, including efforts to get rid of rent control and cut libraries.
“What Minister Ballard is going to do is get rid of Doug Ford,” said Mr. Chan. “One day Doug Ford is going to get rid of Doug Ford.”
But Mr. Ballard had a more positive message than his colleague at the opening, which took place just days after Mr. Ford’s video promising to open up chunks of the Greenbelt was released.
“We know that this government has done remarkable things for the people of Ontario, whether it putting just in the last year $15 million into the hospital, new GO train service to Aurora and Newmarket, a new train station coming to Newmarket, new schools in this area… On top of that, we have OHIP+. if you have little ones, we have OSAP, free tuition, low cost tuition, the list goes on and on,” he said.
“As of last week, we were talking about something that is really near and dear to the folks in Newmarket-Aurora and that is preserving the Oak Ridges Moraine and preserving the Green Belt. In my time at Queen’s Park, I have never had my emails light up the way they lit up when we showed the world the true Mr. Ford, the fellow who does backroom deals and has more backroom deals lined up to launch on us, if the people of Ontario give him that mandate.
“It is care, not cuts, and with your help, we’re going to be a very effective voice in this community.”