The riding association of the Minister of Francophone Affairs, Caroline Mulroney, contributed financially to the campaign of candidate Stéphane Sarrazin, who was elected in the Franco-Ontarian riding of Glengarry—Prescott—Russell, in eastern Ontario,” Conservative campaign manager Kory Teneycke said in an interview with The duty.
The latter indicated that the riding association York — Simcoe, north of Toronto, transferred funds to the association of the new French-speaking MP, who was elected with 42.5% of the vote on June 2. It was not possible to know the amount that was transferred, since associations do not have to submit their financial statements for the campaign to Elections Ontario until December 2, 2022.
But according to last year’s financial statements, the coffers of Caroline Mulroney’s riding are much larger than those of Stéphane Sarrazin’s riding. In 2021, the County Association of Glengarry-Prescott-Russell received the equivalent of $2,850 in contributions, while the County Association of York-Simcoe, where the Minister sits, instead received $92,449.
A machine “
The Minister’s support for the Conservative campaign was not only financial, but also physical. Caroline Mulroney traveled three times to Glengarry — Prescott — Russell county to go door-to-door and serve as a mentor to Stéphane Sarrazin. According to Kory Teneycke, the minister played a “critical” role in the victory of the conservatives in the riding, just like that of Timmins, which also has many francophones.
“Caroline Mulroney is the ultimate team player,” says the Conservative campaign manager.
One of the minister’s political advisers, Mathieu Dumont, managed Stéphane Sarrazin’s campaign. A former political adviser to Caroline Mulroney, Matthew Conway, also came door-to-door at the end of the campaign. “She’s a machine,” he says of the minister he once worked with. “She’s Brian Mulroney’s daughter, but she’s a star herself — she has a presence,” continues Matthew Conway.
If Premier Doug Ford is the most popular chef among Franco-Ontarians, it is partly thanks to her, says Matthew Conway. Kory Teneycke believes she has done an “incredible” job as Minister of Francophone Affairs. The Ford government reversed its decision in the case of the Université de l’Ontario français, which had initially been canceled, because the Prime Minister’s Office listened to it, he said.
According to political science professor Stéphanie Chouinard of the Royal Military College in Kingston, the presence of Doug Ford in Glengarry — Prescott — Russell “would not necessarily have helped Stéphane Sarrazin”. For his part, Steven Del Duca, who was Liberal leader until June 2, visited his candidate, Amanda Simard, twice during the campaign. She had been elected as a Conservative in 2018 after being recruited by former Conservative leader Patrick Brown.
Tour of the province
In addition to visiting francophone ridings during the campaign, Minister Caroline Mulroney traveled to several Toronto counties, including Scarborough—Guildwood, Don Valley West, where former Toronto police chief Mark Saunders was running, and Eglinton—Lawrence, a riding the party narrowly won for a second straight election. “When a star candidate arrives, it gives the team hope,” says Matthew Conway.
According to Stéphanie Chouinard, Caroline Mulroney could afford to regularly leave her riding, York—Simcoe, north of Toronto, since she was in no danger of losing it. She won with 57% of the vote, the same score as four years ago. “There was no great danger for her, but despite everything, she went door-to-door,” says Matthew Conway, who was in contact with the minister during the campaign.
This story is supported by the Local Journalism Initiative, funded by the Government of Canada.