Ellis opens Liberal campaign office in Picton

Former MP Lyle Vanclief joined Sue and Neil Ellis and former MPP Keith MacDonald to officially cut the ribbon opening the Picton office at 124 Main St., Picton (former Lockyer building). The office is open Monday to Friday: 1-4pm and Saturday: 10am to 5pm

Lyle Vanclief, former MP and Agriculture Minister in this
riding, Neil Ellis and his wife Sue, gather to cut the cake as supporters look on.

While the ribbon and the cake were cut Wednesday to officially open the Picton campaign office, Neil Ellis and his team have actually been busy for months canvassing, knocking on doors, making phone calls and hosting events.

Former riding MP and Agriculture Minister Lyle Vanclief and his wife Sharon and MPP Keith MacDonald, who served from 1987 to 1990, joined Bay of Quinte Liberal candidate Neil Ellis at the opening of the campaign office at 124 Main St., Picton.

Volunteers and supporters cheered the Liberal candidate in the new Bay of Quinte riding Wednesday at the formal opening of the party’s campaign office in Picton. He, in turn, thanked them, emphasizing that it’s through their hard work and commitment that they’ve been successful in knocking on more than 20,000 doors, and learning about the concerns of voters across the riding.

The office opening capped a busy week for Ellis and the team. Monday they welcomed Liberal leader Justin Trudeau at a national campaign stop in Belleville where the party’s Veterans plank was unveiled.

It included investing $100 million annually to expand support for the families of veterans through education, counselling and training for families who are providing care and support for veterans living with physical or mental health issues as a result of their service.
The plan will also ending the time limit for surviving spouses to apply for vocational rehabilitation and assistance services and increase the veteran survivor’s pension amount from 50 per cent to 70 per cent. It will also double the funding to the Last Post Fund to help ensure veterans receive a dignified burial.

Thursday he introduced a new Teacher and Early Childhood Educator School Supply Tax Benefit accessible to all teachers and educators to apply to the purchase of up to $1,000 worth of school supplies per year for their students – providing a cash benefit of up to $150 annually as a refundable tax credit.