GEORGETOWN - After five candidates for Wellington-Halton Hills in next week’s provincial election had their turn to speak, a member of the audience raised his hand.
Frank Young pointed out the “noticeable absence of the Conservative Party representative” from Friday’s Canadian Federation of University Women Georgetown’s candidate meet and greet.
He was told that all of the candidates were invited, but the PC candidate Joseph Racinsky had declined the invitation - something that many Conservative contenders have done across the province, with the party saying it's focusing on door-knocking instead. (Ontario Party candidate Jason Medland also didn’t attend.)
“I find it insulting to the citizens of all sectors of the province,” Young said, drawing applause from the audience. “It’s even more insulting that the Premier is off gallivanting into the U.S. to meet with (U.S. President Donald) Trump for political purposes and yet hindering and blocking representative government here in Ontario.”
Claudia, who did not want her last name used, said she was still undecided. She came to the event to make a more informed decision in Thursday’s election and wanted to hear from the “non-traditional” candidates. But she was also disappointed not all candidates attended.
“I would echo the sentiment of the gentleman, that those of us who come to learn about the candidates, and the candidate of the party that’s arguably in the lead doesn’t have the chance to speak – whether that’s by choice or by direction – I think that’s unfortunate.”
Sue Braiden had made up her mind, though she’s still unsure of who she’ll vote for.
“No way will it be for the PCs,” the Erin resident said. “If you can’t show up to defend your policies, how are you going to defend us at Queen’s Park?”
Braiden was torn between throwing her support behind the Green Party’s Bronwynne Wilton and the Liberals’ Alex Hilson.
Both Wilton and Hilson brought up strategic voting during their remarks, each claiming to be the best candidate to beat the Conservatives.
And that seemed to be on the mind of many in attendance.
“It’s a difficult decision for me,” said Ron Moore of Hillsburgh. “I generally support Green, but I may vote Liberal if they have the best chance.”
“I’ve never been a strategic voter in my life, but I’m trying to be one now,” said Carolyn, who did not want her last name used. “It’s very hard to know where to go.”
All the candidates at Friday's event agreed health care is a key issue facing the province.
NDP candidate Simone Kent said her party would recruit 3,500 doctors within four years and allow doctors to see more patients. Kent said that Ontario has the lowest nurse to patient ratio in the country and the NDP would establish safe ratios and guarantee fair wages for health care workers.
“The Ford government plans to waste $222 billion, three times our annual health care budget, on unnecessary road projects,” she said.
Hilson said there are approximately 46,000 people in Wellington-Halton Hills without a family doctor and another 15,000 are at risk due to doctors retiring. He said the Liberal Party would attract and retain thousands of family doctors to clear that backlog, providing incentives to doctors to establish practices in rural areas.
He also said a Liberal government will provide more home care for seniors and modernize medical offices.
Hilson said Ford “announced a health care plan two days before the election after previously fighting nurses in court to keep wages down.”
Wilton said Ontario’s rural residents are losing primary care providers at a rate four times that of urban areas. Because of that, she said the Green Party would focus on rural areas and small urban centres to help ease the strain on hospital emergency rooms.
She said the Green Party would also better integrate long-term care, home care and caregiver services within family health teams.
New Blue candidate Steve Kitras said getting the provincial debt under control is the best way to improve health care. He said the interest on the debt alone could fund 14 new hospitals every year.
He also said the province’s health care system has too many administrators and instead needs to add doctors and specialists to reduce wait times for surgeries.
Independent candidate Ron Patava said all levels of government have to be willing to look at creative solutions to the lack of doctors. He gave the example of not-for-profit nurse practitioner clinics.
Nurse practitioners can perform physical exams, diagnose and treat diseases and other health conditions and prescribe medication, which frees up doctors. The clinics would have a consulting physician on staff.
Election day is set for Feb. 27.
Learn more about the local candidates and issues here.