Smith uncontested in Bay of Quinte nomination
Administrator | Jan 06, 2017 | Comments 14
Progressive Conservatives in the newly formed provincial Bay of Quinte riding have nominated current Prince Edward-Hastings MPP Todd Smith as their candidate for the next provincial election.
“It’s an unbelievable honour to be nominated to represent local Progressive Conservatives in the next election,” Smith said at the Thursday night gathering in Belleville. “The next election is about the future of this province. It’s an honour to represent the people of this region, but it’s my goal to be representing them from the government benches after 2018.”
Bay of Quinte Progressive Conservative Association President Janet Harnden presided over the meeting that nominated Smith, who was uncontested. Harnden said Smith’s work in his community makes him an asset to both the riding, but especially a future PC government.
“Ontario has never needed a change in government more than now,” Harnden said. “We have seen Todd’s work ethic first-hand and, as the riding association president, I couldn’t have a better candidate running for us in 2018. We’re going to need Todd helping the party defeat the Wynne Liberals and then working to get our province back on track.”
After accepting the nomination, Smith took aim at the Liberal Cap-and-Trade program which came into effect on New Year’s Day.
”Most Ontarians were expecting gas prices to go down after the holidays, but they haven’t, and they are now discovering that as of January 1st there’s another Ontario Liberal hand in their pocket. Kathleen Wynne’s Cap and Trade scheme drives up the price of gasoline and home heating fuels at a time of year when residents can’t afford to pay more to heat their homes,” Smith said. “We need a program that puts the cost on polluters and forces them to use less carbon instead of consumers that are already feeling the squeeze of high energy prices. Cap and Trade isn’t revenue neutral and will end up sending hundreds of millions of dollars to reduce emissions in California instead of Ontario.”
Ontario PC Leader Patrick Brown congratulated Smith in a press release following Thursday’s meeting.
“First elected in 2011, Todd has been an incredibly important member of our Ontario PC team. He has proven himself time and time again to be a hard-working MPP who is deeply passionate about his constituents. This is evidenced by Todd’s incredible work advocating for Sagonaska Demonstration School which led to the Wynne Liberals backing down from their plans to close the school. As the Ontario PC Caucus’ critic for the Hydro One fire sale, Todd has exposed the Wynne Liberals’ reckless plan that will result in even higher electricity bills.
“After 13 years in power, life is harder under the Liberal Government. Electricity prices are skyrocketing because of Wynne Liberal scandal and waste, driving families into energy poverty and businesses out of our province. Cuts to health care has meant our most vulnerable are left waiting for desperately needed care, and taxpayer dollars continue to be wasted on scandal after scandal.
“I’m very excited to continue working alongside Todd as we spread our positive message of change and a more prosperous future with the people of Bay of Quinte and Ontario.”
Filed Under: Local News
About the Author:
If Todd Smith sits on The Government benches after the 2018 Provincial election , he will follow in the footsteps of Ernie Parsons and Leona Dombrowsky who were both very good “constituency” politicians with broad support. Until they found themselves sitting on the same “government benches” as Smith aspires to.
Suddenly, he will be muzzled and told when, where, how, why and so on, by the Premiers Office, The Ministers Office, The Cabinet Secretariat, The Government House Leader, etc. etc. Sad state of affairs, but once in government we will all wonder: “why hasn’t Smitty done anything lately?”
Conservatives just picked their leader, Mr.Brown. Lol
Read Kevin O’Leary’s open letters to Princess Wynne in the huffington post. Would love kevin to run as leader of ontario conservatives and show her the door.
The idea that some have about Trump being a soothsayer and only relates the truth are in for a huge wake up call. The man has no concept of the truth nor of human decency. The points made about JFK and Clinton are valid to a point – however, the difference between them and Trump is that they didn’t run campaigns nor keep office through fear mongering and spreading religious hatred. Trump should be horrified that the Russians interred with the American election – instead he defends Russia and demeans his own security people. Like it or not, this cannot have a pleasant ending – and Trump is totally responsible Trump is politically stupid!
Perfect storm for the NDP’S Horvath. Wynne has lost trust and the Tories extreme right wing Brown is very scary!
Good points Marnie. Trump just calls as it as he sees it unlike the political etiquette BS we here from most others. People are not at all used to hearing truth. Don’t have to agree but it is refreshing.
Funny how quickly we forget that JFK cavorted with a mobster’s moll and Bill Clinton made history with a little blue dress that was not in Hillary’s closet. It was shameful behaviour for two men in the White House. How is Trump so much worse? We turned a blind eye to the other two.
Trumps actions in the future will tell if he is a good choice. I for one can not stand all is grand standing. Will he bring back jobs, at what cost and who will profit the most.
What Ontario needs is one thing, a party that will look after the good being of Ontario’s people first. Lower cost of living jobs sound health care etc. We need a leader and a party that can deliver this. We do not have this at a provincial or federal level.
We have some good time Charles that do knee jerk spending to satisfy the trend of the moment be it carbon tax to help other counties before they consider the people of their own country.
Can you print enough $$ for Premier Wynne? Does tory Brown support full rights for everyone? Trump is real change. All we do in Ontario is change the cast of characters.
He is saving manufacturing jobs already. All the Tories and Liberals have done in Ontario is drive them out with both of their failed energy policies. I agree that Ontario could well use a Trump. Results.
Sorry Fred Flinstone, but I can’t allow such a comment to go unchallenged. We do not need now nor will we ever need the kind of person like Donald Trump – a bigot, a racist, a homophobic, a xenophobic, a sexist and a generally ill mannered excuse for a human being. You claim he is a good business person – what? He has had 6 bankruptcies and he can’t used the excuse of being over taxed – because he hasn’t paid them in years! And as a president elect, he hasn’t done anything to make America proud – in fact quite the opposite. Let’s keep the conversation based on facts – not imagination.
We need a Donald Trump in this province. It’s not about decorum or etiquette, it’s about smart business and getting things done.
Not a bad idea and maybe worth the try!
It looks as if the Conservatives already think they have won the next election. I agree the Liberal rule must end but there is another party to consider. We have seen what the Mike Harris Conservatives with majority power did to the province to allow the Liberals to gain power. A minority government with the NDP would make sense.