As in the 2022 provincial vote, there is a crowded field of candidates in Elgin-Middlesex-London.
With the deadline for filing nomination papers closed on Thursday of this past week, seven hopefuls are looking to represent the riding at Queen’s Park.
Rob Flack of the Progressive Conservative Party is looking to win a second term.
He will be challenged by Doug Mactavish, Liberal Party; Amanda Zavitz, NDP; Amanda Stark, Green Party; Brian Figueiredo, New Blue Ontario Party; Stephen R. Campbell, None of the Above Party; and Cooper Labrie, Ontario Party.
Four candidates appeared at a forum last Tuesday, hosted by the St. Thomas & District Chamber of Commerce.
Zavitz and Stark were unable to attend while Labrie had yet to file his papers.
Incumbent Flack touched on past challenges this country has faced.
But he stressed there has been no greater challenge than President Donald Trump’s tariff war.
Flack added that is why Premier Doug Ford initiated the early election call, “so we can continue to be on guard for this province and this country.”
He concluded his five-minute introduction with, “So when I look at health care, education, the billions of work we brought in, including Volkswagen and PowerCo, we are going to be a powerhouse for years to come.
“It’s easy to sail a ship in a calm sea and under Premier Ford we will protect our jobs, protect our communities, protect this province. We will get it done for you.”
There is an ongoing crisis in Ontario warned Mactavish.
That crisis is health care.
Mactavish added, “We need to incentivize current doctors to stay in the system while we train the new doctors.”
His second priority is education.
“Putting money back into, not the building, but the classroom. Class sizes, the goal many years back was 31. It is way beyond that.
“Find a teacher’s aide in a classroom nowadays. The teachers are tired. They’re underpaid. They work long hours.
“In some cases, they’re facing violence from kids who have emotional problems. We don’t even have the staff to identify which kids have learning disabilities. This all has to change.”
Figueiredo opened his presentation by stating as the New Blue Party of Ontario candidate, he is the only Conservative option on the ballot.
He added he is tired of the same old rhetoric from the established political parties.
Turning to education, Figueiredo stressed, “We need a generation of strong, literate, skilled children, not indoctrinating self-loathing and radical activism.”
Focusing on housing he pointed out, “Housing still isn’t affordable. We’re repeatedly told it’s a supply issue for two elections in a row now and that we just need more shovels in the ground.
“It’s not happening quick enough. We’ll always be chasing the supply at a high rate of demand, so it’s time to lower demand.
“We need to bring in policy to decrease immigration into Ontario until our infrastructure and institutions have caught up.”
The Feb. 27 trip to the polls is absolutely not needed. That was the assertion of Campbell, who noted the established parties fail to live up to their promises.
Campbell stressed he is not in favour of a trade war with the U.S. and observed, “This could have been solved with a simple referendum.
“We don’t have to put the Doug Ford government back into power.”
A second candidate forum will be held Wednesday, Feb. 19 from 7 until 9 p.m. at the Old Town Hall in Aylmer, sponsored by the Elgin Federation of Agriculture.
Written by Ian McCallum
