BURLINGTON - The Green Party of Ontario plans to build momentum generated by party leader Mike Schreiner’s wins in Guelph in the last two elections.
In Burlington, resident of 23 years and Green nominee Kyle Hutton says he has seen the problems caused by Ontario Premier Doug Ford first hand. On the morning of Friday, Jan. 24, Ford announced a provincial election is taking place on Thursday, Feb. 27.
“Over the holidays, Joseph Brant Hospital told people that unless you have a serious condition, don’t bother coming to the emergency room,” Hutton said. “I have never had that happen in the entire time I have lived in Burlington. That was an issue already growing in the rural areas of the province. The Ontario Greens and other opposition parties have been warning about this, and it’s finally arrived in Burlington. Neither Doug nor Burlington MPP Natalie Pierre have done a single thing about it.”
Healthcare is Hutton’s top priority, and the issue he hopes to tackle first should he win the riding at the end of February. Hutton’s mother has a chronic condition, he added, which requires semi-regular visits to the hospital.
Waiting an extra few days is not in the cards for her, and Hutton is hearing similar things from Green supporters in Burlington.
“Doug Ford, through his policies, has allowed the expansion of private healthcare services through his inability to listen to nurses and doctors, and said we don’t have money for this all while spending billions on highways,” Hutton said.
He continued that building highways up north is not going to help anyone's commute in Burlington, nor will building a tunnel under the 401.
Hutton said the timing of the election leaves him with two minds. First, he wants the chance to hold Ford and Pierre accountable for their record in Ontario. But also that there are looming threats of tariffs from U.S. President Donald Trump that will require the province, and country, to work together.
“The fact that Doug Ford has called this election saying he needs a massive mandate, when every party at Queen's Park is willing to work with him to defend Ontario and Canada’s interest in the face of Donald Trump is ridiculous,” Hutton said. “It’s very clearly for his own benefit. This is an ego election.”
Outside of healthcare, Hutton regularly hears from supporters and non-supporters alike about affordability.
Housing and the cost of living remains an issue all over Ontario, Hutton said, adding Ford’s government promised to work for the people of Ontario, but has left them behind.
“We’ve seen nothing, we’re now lagging behind housing starts from the previous year,” he said. “Everything that he’s said he’ll get done, he’s basically failed on.”
Hutton is up against Liberal candidate Andrea Grebenc, and Conservative incumbent Natalie Pierre, who previously said she would not seek re-election before reversing her decision a few months later.
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