With less than six weeks to go until election day in Ontario, candidates spent the afternoon criss-crossing Simcoe County and York Region.
“Caroline is the greatest daughter any man has had in his entire life,” former Prime Minister Brian Mulroney told a room full of supporters at the opening of his daughter’s campaign office in Bradford on Saturday.
Mulroney championed his eldest child’s successes both personally and professionally, telling CTV News he has no doubt Caroline is the perfect candidate to represent the residents of York-Simcoe.
“She was a success in law, she was a success in business, and most of all as a person,” says the 18th Prime Minister of Canada.
Caroline Mulroney, who failed to win her party’s leadership in March, has faced criticism for being labelled as a parachute candidate. It’s an accusation, which she dismisses.
“I have a home in York-Simcoe, I love it here. I am here every day, here in the community meeting with constituents, knocking on doors. I know what we need, and it’s someone who is going to listen,” says Mulroney.
Her liberal opponent, school trustee Loralea Carruthers, believes there’s a lot more to a candidate than a famous last name.
“I’m local, and what I hear when I’m out there talking to people in this riding, is that they want someone who lives here and knows the issues here,” says Carruthers, who lives in Holland Landing.
Voters in the riding have sent a conservative to Queen’s Park for 23 years, and she’s hoping they’re looking for change.
The New Democrats are set to nominate their candidate for the upcoming election on May 1.
Meanwhile in Barrie on Saturday afternoon, Andrea Khanjin, who moved to Canada from Russia at the age of 4 says she’s the right person to serve as MPP for Barrie-Innisfil.
“For many years I worked for a local MP in Barrie, and then I went away to school in Ottawa and worked there for many years and got a lot of experience that I can bring back home,” Khanjin told CTV at her campaign office opening.
Khanjin will be on the ballot against Liberal MPP and the incumbent in this riding, Ann Hoggarth, who could not be reached for comment today.
The NDP candidate for Barrie-Innisfil, Pekka Reinio, says voters he’s spoken to are eager for a fresh face at Ontario’s legislature.
“We have a strong platform, and that platform is resonating with people. People like our platform, and they also like our leader, Andrea Horwath,” Reinio says.
Former PC leadership hopeful Christine Elliott also opened her campaign office in Newmarket today. She's vying to become the PC MPP in Newmarket-Aurora.
Voters in Ontario will go to the polls on June 7.
