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Shelby Ch’ng

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NDP Take Thunder Bay-Superior North

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It’s a first for the Ontario NDP Party in 22 years.

Lise Vaugeois avenges her 2018 defeat to Liberal incumbent Michael Gravelle and picks up the victory four years later in the riding of Thunder Bay-Superior North.

Vaugeois told Acadia News Thursday that the people behind the scenes helped make the victory possible.

“We had a phenomenal team and so many people who stepped up to help volunteer,” said Vaugeois. “Because of that we were able to reach many, many people, probably more than we were able to interact with four years ago, and I think that really made the difference.”

Vaugeois served as a professor with Lakehead University and also owns a small business.

Once sworn in at Queen’s Park, Vaugeois wants to tackle housing.

“There’s a housing crisis across the entire region,” Vaugeois stated. “That is all types and levels of housing that we need. (In Northwestern Ontario) there’s nowhere to put up extra health care staff when they come up here.”

She also says healthcare funding will be a priority.

“I will be fighting to get health care funded properly,” she said. “We need public health care. I think it is appalling that there are moves to privatize our health care and education, we need well funded and strong public health care.”

PC Party candidate Peng You finished second.

Fellow Thunder Bay councillor Shelby Ch’ng wound up in third, but learned a lot in the short campaign.

“I definitely would appreciate more time next time,” Ch’ng told Acadia News. “There are always things that you reflect on following a campaign that you would do differently. The big takeaway for me was seeing how unique and different each little town and municipality is, and hearing everyone’s voice and ideas of what makes their community great. They were so proud to show them off and it was a very nice Northern pride moment.”

Shelley Wark-Martin was the NDP Member of Provincial Parliament in the riding, last elected in 1990.

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Decision 2022: Del Duca Visits Thunder Bay

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Making Highways 11 and 17 a Class 1 highway in Ontario.

That promise coming from Ontario Liberal party leader Steven Del Duca, who made a few stops in Thunder Bay on Sunday to support Thunder Bay-Superior North candidate Shelby Ch’ng and Thunder Bay-Atikokan candidate Robert Barrett.

“What I learned in my time at the Ministry of Transportation (MTO) is that we need to do more to support highway and road safety and maintenance throughout the province, including here in and around Thunder Bay, across the North, across the Northwest,” said Del Duca.

“That’s why we’ve made this decision as part of our platform.”

When asked why he didn’t make the move while he was the Minister of Transportation (2004-2018), Del Duca only said he’s running for Premier and not a senior cabinet member.

A Class 1 designation allows snow removal equipment to be deployed as soon as 2.5 centimetres of snow has fallen and also calls for inspections three times every seven days.

Del Duca began the day at Goods & Co on Red River Road, and then had a private meeting with Fort William First Nation Chief Peter Collins.

Liberal leader Steven Del Duca arriving at Goods & Co on Sunday, May 22, 2022

Del Duca, when discussing the Indigenous portfolio, said under an Ontario government, there would be a minister dedicated to Indigenous reconciliation.

“I think it was a horrible mistake on the part of Ford Progressive Conservatives to get rid of that exclusive and stand alone responsibility given how serious the challenges are,” he said.

Del Duca added that the Liberal plan also promises to build new units of off-reserve Indigenous housing and to include more teachings in history classes on topics like the residential school system.

Before heading to Sudbury, the leader also pledged that residents would pay less at the pumps.

“Ontario Liberals, come July 1, will take 5.7 cents a litre off of the gas tax and 5.3 cents a litre off of the fuel tax to give people immediate relief at the pumps,” said Del Duca.

The Ontario PC Party also vowed a 5.7 cents a litre drop in the gas tax on July 1, while the NDP wants to see the price of fuel regulated through the Ontario Energy Board (OEB) on a weekly basis, instead of gas companies.

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Decision 2022: Thunder Bay-Superior North

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Three of the six declared candidates in the riding of Thunder Bay-Superior North met at Moose Hall.

This debate and the one on Thursday, May 12th at the DaVinci Centre (Thunder Bay-Atikokan) are being put on the Thunder Bay & District Injured Workers Support Group.

Treasurer Steve Mantis moderated the event Tuesday with Shelby Ch’ng of the Liberals, Lise Vaugeois of the NDP and Tracey MacKinnon of the Green Party taking questions from the podium and from those in attendance.

All three candidates said if given the opportunity, they would do away with Bill 124, which was introduced at Queen’s Park in June 2019 and received royal assent in November of that year.

When it comes to the topic of Long-Term Care, Ch’ng said for-profit care is the biggest mistake of the 20th century.

“We knew that for-profit care was terrible for seniors, but it took the (COVID-19) pandemic and (Premier) Doug Ford really messing it up,” Ch’ng added. “The military had to be sent in to change bandages that haven’t been changed for three days. Some patients were being overmedicated or undermedicated, while others were dying from dehydration because they can’t even get a sip of water. It’s absolutely crazy.”

The Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) was called by the provincial government in April of 2020 to help seven long-term care homes dealing with COVID-19 outbreaks.

Vaugeois pointed to the powers and jurisdiction of the Conservation Authority being changed through a Ministry Zoning Order.

“What it means is that a friend of (Premier) Doug Ford can come in and say ‘I want to build here’ while the Conservation Authority says ‘that’s a really bad idea because you are in a flood zone, and it’s going to create more problems for us’. They no longer have the ability to fulfill their mandate under the new rule that the Ford government brought it,” added Vaugeois.

In the 2021 report released by Auditor General Bonnie Lysyk, between March 2019 and March 2021 the government issued 44 Minister’s Zoning Orders.

Kathy Suutari of the New Blue Party and Peng You of the Ontario PC Party both had empty seats for Tuesday’s debate.

Mantis told Acadia News that Ontario PC candidate Kevin Holland will not take part in Thursday’s debate at 7:00 p.m.

You are encouraged to wear masks at the DaVinci Centre but it is not mandatory and there will be spacing to ensure social distancing.

Election Day will be Thursday, June 2nd

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Candidate Profile: Shelby Ch’ng

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Shelby Ch’ng will appear on the ballot for first time next month in the riding of Thunder Bay-Superior North.

The Liberal candidate had originally planned to help incumbent Michael Gravelle with his final election run, but the return of cancer and subsequent treatment forced him to step aside.

The Northwood Councillor was first elected in 2014 and won re-election in 2018.

“Oh it is a huge advantage for me,” said Ch’ng, when asked how her municipal experience will help in the campaign. “I have one of the largest portfolios of committees and things that I am involved with on council, so I take all of that experience that I’ve had over the last eight years. Particularly my experience as the Vice-Chair for the Intergovernmental Affairs Committee, which allowed me the opportunity to travel to Toronto a few weekends ago and advocate for mental health facilities and other resources that the city is in desperate need of. I know the files, I know what we need and I have a great pulse on the community.”

Ch’ng will run against fellow councillor Peng You (Ontario PC Party) as well as Lise Vaugeois (NDP) and Tracey MacKinnon (Green Party).

“I have worked nine years in the most socially economic disadvantaged area of the city, building my business and trying to keep dollars in this community,” Ch’ng answered, when asked why someone should vote for her. “I sit on so many committees with (Thunder Bay) city council. I have a lot of experience just dealing with the public and understanding what we need to vote on. I come with a great toolset to advocate for you at Queen’s Park.”

The election is set for Thursday, June 2nd.

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Ch’ng Running In Thunder Bay-Superior North

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Shelby Ch’ng will be making a run for a spot at Queen’s Park.

The current Northwood Councillor will take a leave of absence from her duties to join the provincial election race in Thunder Bay-Superior North.

Ch’ng was first elected in 2014 and won re-election in 2018.

“Thunder Bay is where I’ve lived, worked, and served my entire life,” said Ch’ng. “It’s a diverse, vibrant city with the brightest of futures. I want to continue playing a part in shaping the future of this city I love so much – and so I’m honoured to have this new opportunity to serve my community as their representative at Queen’s Park.”

Incumbent Michael Gravelle is undergoing treatment for cancer and is not running for re-election.

Lise Vaugeois will run for the NDP, current Thunder Bay At Large councillor Peng You is the Ontario PC candidate and Tracey MacKinnon is the Green Party candidate.

Section 259 of the Municipal Act allows for Members of Council to take a leave from their duties for up to 3 months with no penalty.

The election is set for Thursday, June 2nd.