Ontario | The Green Party is betting big on two other ridings

(Toronto) Building on his spirited performance in Monday night’s debate, the leader of the Ontario Greens traveled on Tuesday to two other ridings where the party hopes to elect MPs on June 2.

Mike Schreiner made a strong impression Monday night in his second campaign debate, unleashing strong criticism of Progressive Conservative Leader Doug Ford’s record on the pandemic, the environment and his relationship with health care workers.

After winning the Green Party’s first-ever seat in the provincial legislature in Guelph four years ago, Schreiner said Tuesday he hoped to land another in Parry Sound-Muskoka.

Matt Richter, a local teacher in his fifth race under the green banner, had 20% of the vote in 2018, two points behind the New Democrat. However, the Conservative elected last time is not running again this time and there will be no Liberal candidate.

“We’re just thrilled with the momentum we’re seeing in Parry Sound-Muskoka. It’s a bit like the momentum we saw in Guelph in 2018, Schreiner said in Toronto on Tuesday, before heading to an event in Huntsville. We certainly want to take advantage of it. »

Earlier in the day, Mr. Schreiner had stopped in the riding of University-Rosedale in Toronto, where former environment commissioner Dianne Saxe is considered another star candidate for the Green Party.

Mr. Schreiner referred to the campaigns of Mr.^me Saxony and Mr. Richter on Monday night in his final plea to viewers of the leaders’ debate.

M^me Saxe presented its leader on Tuesday as the “winner of last night’s debate”. Both candidates largely focused on the party’s climate platform which they said would help ensure a more livable future for children and young people. They have also touted the promise to lower the voting age to 16 so that young people can have a greater say in political decisions.

Asked about his party’s slim chance of forming a government, Schreiner encouraged Ontarians to vote for the Green candidate in their riding anyway. “If you want Green, vote Green,” he said.

He argued that even a few Green MPs would have immense influence in policy decisions — a theme he also touched on in Monday’s debate, where he repeatedly suggested the New Democratic Party was changing its platform to ‘follow’ the greens on housing and support for people with disabilities.

M^me Saxe also argued that the green message is gaining momentum in her Toronto riding where an incumbent NDP MP is running. The Greens candidate says she’s heard voter frustration over the New Democrats’ climate plan.

Tim Abray, a lecturer in political studies at Queen’s University, said he was “deeply impressed” by Mr Schreiner’s performance in Monday night’s debate. “He was extremely well prepared and he did a very good job, always focusing on the facts and the responsibility,” he said. If you’re trying to get ahead in the political arena, it’s extremely important to focus on that.

“By holding others to account in the debate, by holding other parties to account and by presenting clear, very, very well worded expressions of things he would do, facts about the problems that exist in Ontario right now and the solutions he offers give people something tangible to cling to. »

During Monday’s debate, Mr Ford faced attacks on health care and education from the other three leaders, but he stuck to his core message: create jobs, make lives more affordable Ontarians, and build more infrastructure.

Union support for Ford and the NDP

The Conservative leader also announced Tuesday morning in Toronto the support of another union of construction trades workers, the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades. The day before, the Conservative leader had received the support of the union representing electricity workers (IBEW), after that of the International Brotherhood of Boilermakers.

New Democrat Leader Andrea Horwath said Ford fought public service unions to pass legislation in 2019 that caps public sector wage increases at 1% or less.

The NDP has secured the support of the Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU), which represents 180,000 workers.

Mr. Ford has also had a run-in with teachers’ unions, first over lengthy collective bargaining negotiations and then over his government’s decision to keep schools open during the pandemic.

The Conservative leader went door-to-door on Tuesday in York South-Weston, where his nephew, Michael Ford, is running.

Campaigning in Toronto, Andrea Horwath focused on education on Tuesday: she promised to eliminate the province’s school renovation backlog within 10 years. Then, in the flagship riding of Peterborough-Kawartha, she promised to double mental health support in schools.

Liberal Leader Steven Del Duca, campaigning in west Toronto, has highlighted his four-day work week pilot project and other pro-worker measures.

The Ontario elections will take place in just over two weeks, on June 2.