The former leader of the NDP in Ontario isn’t done with politics just yet.
Just over a month after stepping down as leader of the party, Andrea Horwath has announced she running for mayor of Hamilton.
Horwath says she’ll leave her role as MPP for the Hamilton Riding and will work to help the city realize it’s potential.
She becomes the fourth person to seek to mayoralty of the city.
Another labour endorsement for PC leader Doug Ford.
A local union of the United Association of Refrigeration Workers in Brampton announced its support during a visit by Ford to their training facility.
Photo courtesy Ontario PC Party/Facebook
“These folks are supporting us because they know that we’re going to make sure that they have jobs for the future. Many jobs for the future. We’re putting money into the trades or putting 10’s of millions of dollars into the training facilities,” says Ford.
Ford says they are also working to get more people into those trades.
Photo courtesy Ontario NDP/Facebook
NDP leader Andrea Horwath is proposing to improve mental health services for post-secondary students.
It’s part of her universal mental health care in the province.
Horwath says there has been a lot of pressure on students.
“The consistency of not only classes and courses, but supports that you need in school to succeed during this disruptive time have been really, really difficult to get. I’m happy to say that our plan would fix that,” says Horwath.
The plan includes increased funding for mental health professionals and programs on campus.
Liberal leader Steven Del Duca accuses Doug Ford of failing to support small business owners.
Del Duca says the PC leader showed that during the pandemic with his bias toward big box stores and large grocery chains.
“And why? Because he’s lost his way. Because he’s only interested in himself, his political fortunes, his reelection chances instead of caring about the people,” says Del Duca.
Del Duca says under a Liberal government, corporate taxes on small businesses would be waived for two years to help them recover.
Green Party leader Mike Schreiner is paying extra attention to the riding of Parry Sound-Muskoka area.
Schreiner feels the Greens have a good shot at winning there.
“Matt Richter, in the 2018 election, finished actually slightly better than I did in the 2014 election in Guelph. We know what happened in Guelph in 2018, and we believe we are well-positioned for that to happen in Parry Sound-Muskoka in 2022,” says Schreiner.
Parry Sound-Muskoka is one of two ridings where the Liberal Party is not running a candidate.
PC leader Doug Ford says he’s campaigning like he’s in last place.
The latest polls show Ford with a sizeable lead over the Liberals and NDP.
Ford is not putting solace in those polls.
“I always say the only poll that counts is on Election Day. We always run like we’re in last place. I tell our team run like we’re in last place. Don’t stop door knocking all the way up to June 2,” says Ford.
Ford does make one Election Day prediction.
He believes Liberal leader Steven Del Duca will lose out on his bid to win a seat at Queen’s Park.
Del Duca is quick to disagree.
He says his party is emerging as the only clear alternative to Ford.
He also accuses the PC leader of wanting to privatize public services if given a second mandate.
“He wants to destroy the core public services that are the foundation of everything we stand on in this province. He wants to privatize, so he doesn’t want to come out of the bubble. He doesn’t want to have to admit that he is determined to take a wrecking ball to everything Ontarians hold dear. We’re not going to let him,” says Del Duca.
Del Duca says the biggest fraud during the 2018 election was Ford claiming he was ‘for the people.’
NDP leader Andrea Horwath continues to sell her party as the only one that will fix the things that are broken in Ontario.
Horwath focused on long-term care and the pandemic on Tuesday.
“And now is our chance. Now is our chance to finally fix what’s been going wrong in long-term care. And we are the only, I’m the only premier that will actually do that,” says Horwath.
One of her promises is to reinstate family members’ right to take private long-term care operators to court over the deaths of their loved ones during the pandemic.
Ford removed that right in legislation passed during the pandemic.
Ontario Green Party leader Mike Schreiner is saying, ‘Yes, in my backyard.’
He promises to extend zoning regulations to allow for multi-plex housing units in all residential areas and permit affordable housing projects on former industrial sites.
“We urgently need to take a ‘yes in my backyard’ approach to housing where we creatively make use of existing space and built-up areas to increase the supply of homes,” says Schreiner.
Schreiner also proposes an initiative to address NIMBYism and raise awareness of the importance of middle, mid-rise and community housing developments.
A promise to regulate the price you pay at the pump.
In a virtual call Friday, NDP leader Andrea Horwath stated that both the PC’s and Liberals want to have short term and unsustainable plans of cutting a portion of gas and fuel taxes.
Horwath is continuing the campaign on Zoom after announcing on Thursday that she had tested positive for COVID-19.
The plan, if her party forms government, would see the regulation happen through the Ontario Energy Board (OEB) on a weekly basis, instead of gas companies deciding the price for buyers, which rolls down to consumers filling up at the pumps.
The Ontario PC’s have vowed to bring in a pump reduction of 5.7 cents a litre for six months, beginning July 1st.
Del Duca’s Liberal plan is to reduce prices by 11 cents per litre on the gas and fuel tax (five cents respectively).
Horwath also addressed the ongoing water crisis in the north as well as the growing housing crisis.
She noted it’s been “a game of ping-pong” from recent provincial governments to the federal government, and back again on who’s responsible for improving living conditions for rural communities.
The NDP leader spoke about being able to provide a level living dignity to those living on First Nation’s communities as well as in the larger urban areas of Ontario’s north.
Advance polls are open this weekend with election day set for Thursday June 2nd.
NDP leader Andrea Horwath is committed to making her proposal to implement a universal pharmacare program a priority.
Horwath says it will be one of the first things she does if her party forms the next provincial government.
“This plan is something that we will implement immediately upon forming government in a couple of weeks time and provide not only that relief, but that security that you can get the prescriptions that you need,” says Horwath.
Howarth says her plan will save families an average of $350 each year.
Election polls put the NDP in third place, behind the PCs and Liberals.
Leader Andrea Horwath brushes off the notion that achieves her goal of forming the government, a coalition with the other parties is needed.
“I’m running for premier, and I’m running to have a majority government because people need to have hope that the things that matter most to them can actually be fixed, and that’s what this campaign is all about.”
Horwath continues to campaign on that the fact that her party is in the best position to unseat Doug Ford.”
Liberal leader Steven Del Duca is proposing a top-up of employment insurance benefits for workers taking parental leave.
The federal government allows for an eighteen-month leave, but benefits received are lower when spread over that period.
Del Duca says his plan would add to those benefits.
“This kind of plan, topping up and fully funding an 18-month parental leave program, could put up to $255 back in the pockets of Ontario families each and every single week,” says Del Duca.
Del Duca says he would also work with the feds to help the self-employed, contract and gig workers receive benefits they currently don’t qualify.
Del Duca was also dogged by reporters’ questions about the qualification and qualities of certain candidates the NDP has raised.
The Liberal leader says he’s not playing the political games being played by other party leaders, calling them desperation tactics.
“I’m disappointed to hear that Ms. Horvath and her team want to continue to focus on attacking me and Ontario Liberals instead of trying to take the fight to Doug Ford. Ontario Liberals will remain exclusively focused on making sure that Doug Ford’s first term in office is his last.”
Del Duca’s also sidestepped questions about his political future if he doesn’t form government.
PC leader Doug Ford campaigned in Hamilton to recognize two more trade union endorsements.
“I’m so grateful for the support of these unions and workers across Ontario, and I want our workers to know that I’ll always have your back,” says Ford
He’s received endorsements from five unions in the past week.
Ford says trade unions have given up on the NDP and leader Andrea Horwath, he continues to call anti-building everything.
“She’s anti-building anything, anti-building housing, anti-building highways, anti-building roads. Horvath would rather sit there on a picket line with their signs protesting a build than actually getting it done.”
Horwarth says she’s not concerned with the trade union endorsement of the PC leader Doug Ford.
She doesn’t see Ford being a friend of working people.
“We know whose side Doug Ford is on. We know his cuts hurt people, and we know he is not a friend of working people, hasn’t been, won’t be, pretending to be now, maybe, but that’s not who Doug Ford is,” says Horwath.
Horwarth points to endorsements from the Ontario Federation of Labour and the Ontario Public Service Employees Union that show labour still supports the NDP.
The Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation is throwing its support being Mike Schreiner and the Green Party in the provincial election.
It’s the first time the union has endorsed the Greens.
President Karen Littlewood says Schreiner’s education platform reflects much of what they want to be addressed.
“Mike consulted with us over the education platform, and he’s really encapsulated well. It is about improving the lives of Ontarians. This is not just education, this is communities. This is public services,” says Littlewood.
Littlewood says with 60-thousand plus members, the weight of the endorsement can have a difference at the polls on June 2.
“I’ve worked hard prior to being elected and since being elected to earn your trust, to build a working relationship with you so that we can stand up and fight for better public education,” says Schreiner in recognizing the endorsement.
Another of the provincial party leaders has COVID.
NDP leader Andrea Horwarth says she tested positive this morning.
“Like so many others over the last couple of years, I tested positive for COVID-19 this morning. We’ve been doing our best to keep everyone safe, and I’ll keep doing that by staying in isolation,” says Horwath in a statement issued.
She is in Sault Ste. Marie today and was to visit Thunder Bay, Kenora, Sandy Lake First Nation and North Bay over the next few days.
Horwath plans to continue campaigning, only virtually.
“We’ll have to make some adjustments, but I’ll continue to connect with people however I can. Stay safe and take care of each other, and I’ll see you all on Zoom,” says Horwath.
Green Party Mike Schreiner is doing the same thing.
He tested positive for COVID last night and is isolating.
Liberal leader Steven Del Duca announced this morning that he was monitoring his own health for COVID-19 after being in close contact with two people who recently tested positive.
Del Duca says a test he conducted this morning came out negative but is taking precautions while he campaign trail today.
PC leader Doug Ford is getting some unexpected support from labour.
Four trade unions have come out in support of the Progressive Conservatives in recent days.
In acknowledging the support, Ford was asked about public sector workers and the wage restrictions they are currently under.
“When that lapses, I think the first ones in August, we’re going to sit down, and we’re going to treat them fairly. With the nurses, we gave them a 7.6% on the average increase in the $5000 bonus. I think the world of them. The PSWs, I’ve always said they’re underpaid, overworked,” says Ford.
Ford says he would also address the issue of paid sick days once the worse of the pandemic is behind us.
Photo courtesy Ontario Liberal Party/Facebook
Liberal leader Steven Del Duca wants to explore a four-day workweek if he forms the next provincial government.
Del Duca says he’s set up a demonstration project.
“To see how a four-day workweek might, in fact, do for workers and their families what they crave, what they want, which is the ability to, once again, have some kind of reasonable work-life balance,” says Del Duca.
Del Duca says he would also reinstate the Basic Income Pilot Project that Ford cancelled immediately after the 2018 election.
Supplied by Green Party of Ontario
Green Party leader Mike Schreiner is trying to build momentum for his party coming out of Monday’s leader’s debate.
Schreiner appealed to young voters during a campaign stop in Toronto.
“I want you to know that in the Ontario Green Party, you have a party that has your back. It is all about empowering youth to have a stronger political voice in this province,” says Schreiner.
Schreiner wants to lower the voting age to 16.
Photo courtesy Ontario NDP Party/Facebook
More school support staff if the NDP forms the next provincial government.
The NDP says it will earmark $4.8 billion over the next three years on school maintenance.
Leader Andrea Horwath says $467 million is directed toward staffing.
“We are going to hire an extra custodian for every single school. We are going to bring more maintenance people online in the schools to ensure that we keep up with the repairs,” says Horwath.
Horwath blames the Liberals and PCs for creating a $16.8 billion backlog in repairs to schools.
She also dismissed questions about her political future, saying she will never give up on fighting for people.
Recent polls have her party trailing the PCs and Liberals.
Ontario’s party leaders debated each other for the first time this election in North Bay.
The state of our highways was among the issues raised.
PC leader Doug Ford outlined the investments made and criticized Steve Del Duca when he was Transportation Minister under Kathleen Wynne’s government.
“Mr. DeLuca, you had your opportunity, and you failed. You were the Minister of Transportation. You didn’t build absolutely nothing, absolutely nothing,” said Ford.
NDP leader Andrea Horwath said the promises Ford was making this election as the same made four years ago and not acted upon.
“I have to say it’s pretty interesting when I know that some of the promises that Mr. Ford is making are the same ones that were in his last platform, and he hasn’t gotten around to those things,” said Horwath.
Ford shot back, calling Horwath anti-development.
“Miss Horvath, you’d be in the middle protesting with protest signs on the highway with all your protesters because your anti-development, you’re infrastructure. I’m about getting it done. I’m about building this province,” said Ford.
“You’re about your buddies, Doug,” retorted Horwath.
The debate was held as part of a gathering of municipal leaders from northeastern Ontario.
NDP leader Andrea Horwath has released her party’s platform for northern Ontario.
Health care plays a prominent role.
It includes hiring 300 more doctors, including one hundred specialists and 40 mental health practitioners.
“You have not gotten your fair share on so many fronts, and we’re here to say you can get your fair share with the government that pays attention to your needs,” says Horwath.
Horwath is also promising to deal with the opioid crisis with investments in treatment programs and revamping the Northern Ontario Travel Grant program.
Other components include creating more training and job opportunities in the trades, mining and film and television sector.
An NDP government would also make high-speed Internet available across the north by 2025.
Ontario Liberal leader Stephen Del Duca has released his full campaign platform.
It’s labelled A Place to Grow.
He says it tackles the province’s affordability crisis and will help families get ahead.
“Our message to the people of Ontario is that this plan will give them the relief that they deserve. And the choice on June 2 will be theirs,” says Del Duca.
The Liberal plan is fully costed.
Del Duca says it also paves a way for Ontario’s budget to be balanced by the 2026-27 fiscal year.
Green Party leader Mike Schreiner wants to give first-time homebuyers a level playing field.
Schreiner says if elected premier, he will put the brakes on wealthy speculators and corporations, which he says are driving up the costs of homes across the province.
“We will bring in a multiple homes speculation tax and a vacant home speculation tax. The clampdown on the rampant speculation happening in the housing market,” says Schreiner.
Schreiner will also make home inspections mandatory at the seller’s expense.
Ontario PC leader Doug Ford is promising to increase the Ontario Disability Support Program by five per cent,
It will then be followed by annual increases tied to inflation.
Ford is also pledging an enhancement to a credit program geared toward low-income individuals and families.
Ontario’s party leaders will gather in North Bay today.
They are taking part in a debate as part of the Federation of Northern Ontario Municipalities conference.
Northern issues are expected to play prominently.
The questions are coming from municipal leaders in northeastern Ontario.
It will be the first debate for the leaders of the PC, Liberal, NDP and Green parties since the election was called.
