Ballots Are Filling Up For Peterborough Kawartha Provincial Election

Ahead of the June Provincial election, most major parties in Peterborough-Kawartha have announced their candidates.

Queens Park. Stock Photo.

The Peterborough-Kawartha riding association of the Ontario NDP has announced Jen Deck as nomination candidate for the upcoming election.

Deck is a teacher and the Occasional Teacher President of the Kawartha Pine Ridge Teachers’ Local of the Elementary Teachers Federation Ontario (ETFO).

A nomination meeting will be held on Thursday to confirm Deck as candidate.

Robert Gibson has been announced Green party candidate.

Gibson is a regular contributor to The Arthur, Trent Universities newspaper, and also hosts a show on Trent Radio called “Environmental Soup”. His show focuses on both environmental and social issues.

Gibson studied environmental science and environmental studies at Trent University from 2018 to 2020.

Greg Dempsey was announced the Liberal Party candidate in November 2021.

Dempsey is a Peterborough native, has served in the Canadian Foreign Service, represented Canada at the UN in New York, at the Human Rights Council in Geneva, and in Kabul, Afghanistan.

Tom Marazzo, a spokesperson during the Freedom Convoy protests in Ottawa and former Canadian military member is the candidate for the Ontario Party.

Dylan Smith, a pension administrative assistant, is running in Peterborough-Kawartha for the None of the Above Party. The None of the Above party was formed as a response to party members displeasure with all political parties.

Progressive Conservative Incumbent Dave Smith will also be on the ballot.

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Liberal Candidate to Host Virtual Town Hall Providing Campaign Updates

Greg Dempsey, Peterborough-Kawartha’s Liberal candidate, is hosting a virtual town hall on Zoom this Wednesday at 7 p.m.

Dempsey won the nomination over Dane Bland on Nov. 8 last year. Photo courtesy of Greg Dempsey.

Author and historian John Boyko is joining Dempsey for the upcoming public meeting to discuss politics, the UN and give campaign updates.

In November, Dempsey was nominated as the Peterborough-Kawartha Liberal candidate and was welcomed by the Liberal Party leader, Steven Del Duca.

“Greg is truly committed to improving life for those in Peterborough— Kawartha and brings a lifetime of experience advocating on behalf of Canadians to the table,” said Del Duca.

Photo courtesy of Greg Dempsey.

Greg Dempsey grew up in Peterborough, graduating from Adam Scott CVI in 1999. He holds a BA and BSc from Bishop’s University, a law degree from the University of Victoria, a certificate in International Indigenous Studies from Columbia University in New York and a cum laude LLM in International Human Rights Law from Utrecht University in the Netherlands.

Anyone can attend and RSVP online by clicking here.

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Peterborough-Kawartha Provincial Liberal Association Announces Candidate Nomination Vote

The Peterborough-Kawartha Provincial Liberal Association (PKPLA) announced on Wednesday that the nomination vote to select the Liberal candidate for the next Ontario election will take place on Saturday, November 6, 2021.

Photo courtesy of Dane Bland and Greg Dempsey.

Vying for the nomination are Dane Bland and Greg Dempsey.

Bland is a graduate of the Trent University Business Administration Program and holds a BBA from Trent, he also completed the Seneca College Fundraising Management postgraduate certificate program. He has spent the last decade working in sectors like Arts, Culture, Education, Human Rights, Healthcare, and Long-Term Care.

Born and raised in Peterborough, Dempsey holds a BA and BSc from Bishop’s University, a law degree from the University of Victoria, a cum laude LLM in International Human Rights Law from Utrecht University in the Netherlands, and a certificate in International Indigenous Studies from Columbia University in New York. He has served with distinction in the Canadian Foreign Service since 2008, representing Canada at the UN in New York, the Human Rights Council in Geneva, and in Kabul, Afghanistan.

The vote will take place online, on November 6, between 11:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. To be eligible to vote residents need to be a member of the Ontario Liberal Party by Sunday at 5:00 p.m.

Those wishing to become a member of the Ontario Liberal party can do so online at https://ontarioliberal.ca/become-a-member. Membership in the Ontario Liberal Party is open to residents of Ontario who are 14 years of age or older.

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Federal Candidate Interview: Liberal Candidate Maryam Monsef

Angela O’Grady speaks with Liberal federal candidate Maryam Monsef for the upcoming election. We answer community-submitted questions surrounding her stance on climate change, vaccine passports, the housing crisis and small businesses.

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Okay Political Parties: Engage Me, Interest Me, Tell Me What You Got Baby!

I am still trying to stay positive about the provincial election here. The Federal Tories’ new archaic, colossally expensive "tough on crime" legislation is scaring me. All the more need for a simpatico MPP, I guess.

Last week, I looked at the local candidates. Today’s challenge: find something interesting about each party’s platform. Here we go, in no particular order:

The Tories’ proposed tax reforms are interesting: Reduce income taxes by 5 percent on the first $75,000. Populist. Popular. (And one helluva loss in government revenue). And double the caregiver tax credit. Those are good ideas. Hard to swallow that they could do this and meet their commitment of a balanced budget by 2017-2018, but…

The Green Party advocates reducing commuting costs by “supporting transit and affordable commuter benefits including incentives for ride-sharing, more high-occupancy vehicle lanes, and tax credits for public transit users.” By virtue of the appalling waste of human time and energy—not to mention toxic pollution—that comes from single occupancy cars in gridlock day in and day out, this is interesting.

Now here’s a good one: As part of the NDP Platform, cap government CEO salaries for $80 million in savings. That’s interesting. I don't believe in some people earning ten or 20 times what others do. That’s wrong. Glad someone’s saying this, publicly.

By-and-large, the Liberal platform highlights the POSITIVE. While this is more a communications approach as a platform plank, you take what you can get.

• Best Schools in the English-speaking world (MCKINSEY & CO, 2010)

• From the longest surgical wait times in Canada to shortest (CANADIAN INSTITUTE FOR HEALTH INFORMATION, 2011)

• So far this year Ontario has created more full-time jobs than the rest of Canada combined (STATISTICS CANADA, 2011)

"A Socialist Party of Ontario government will work to start to end poverty by implementing a guaranteed annual income of no less than $18,849, with annual adjustments for inflation, for each individual adult plus a child allowance." What? No bureaucracy to police every dime? Might just pay for itself. This is interesting.

Along with other libertarian policies, the Freedom Party affirms freedom, justice, and peace during international political meetings. Making political hay out of the scary embarrassment of police behaviour during the G8/G20 summit (and elsewhere)—well, that’s interesting. We welcome newcomer Alex Long to the Peterborough Riding. 

 
PtboCanada Politics Columnist Miriam Lyall (aka Miriam Stucky) is a former Green Party Candidate. She is a step-mom extraordinaire and communications maven. Check it out: MiriamStucky.ca.

[Related: Here's A Primer On The Five Local Candidates Vying To Be Your MPP (With Pictures!)]

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PtboPic: This Household Is Voting Liberal.. And NDP... And Green Party

[photo courtesy Chris Smith]

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