Peterborough Residents Can Now Register Ahead Of October Municipal Election

Residents, owners, and tenants of property in the City of Peterborough who are a minimum of 18 years of age can now confirm that they are registered to vote in the Oct. 24 municipal and school board elections online and in person at City Hall.

Photo by Luke Best.

Registering in advance helps ensure a seamless voting experience and is necessary for those who plan to vote online.

Residents can visit peterboroughvotes.ca to check that they are on the voters list. If they are not registered, residents can upload a form of identification that confirms their name and qualifying City of Peterborough address online. City staff will review submissions and email voter notification cards to verified voters.

Residents who prefer to register in person are welcome to stop into the City Clerk's office at City Hall. There is free, 30-minute parking on George Street between McDonnel Street and Murray Street. City Hall business hours are Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Staff will verify their identification and eligibility to vote, register them on the voters list, and print out their card, all in one trip.

Students living in Peterborough while attending school can vote in the Peterborough municipal election as well as in their home municipality.

People who are experiencing homelessness, or do not have a permanent home or a fixed address can vote based on the location they have slept in the most during the 5 weeks leading up to the election.

Both online and in-person voting will be available for the 2022 municipal election. Online voting starts Oct. 1 and ends Oct. 24 at 8 p.m. In-person voting will be available at advance voting locations on Saturday, Oct. 8, Saturday, Oct. 15, and Saturday, October 22 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and on election day on Oct. 24 from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. An advance voting location that provides enhanced accessibility features will be available at City Hall, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily from Oct. 17 to Oct. 21.

Voter Notification Cards will be sent to registered voters by mail in late September or early October. The notification card will specify the assigned voting location for the registered voter. Voters who choose to vote in person must vote in their designated ward. All voting locations are barrier-free for people with disabilities. Online voting is a convenient option that will allow registered voters to vote from anywhere using a smartphone, tablet, or computer with internet access.

Details on voting options are posted on the municipal election website at peterboroughvotes.ca. Inquiries can be made by calling 705-742-7777 and selecting option 7 for the election hotline.

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Douro-Dummer Mayor and County Warden J. Murray Jones Retiring From Politics, Reflects on 24-Year Career

After 24 years of public service as a municipal politician, Peterborough County Warden and Douro-Dummer mayor Jim Murray Jones is not seeking re-election and is retiring from politics.

Jones organizes dinner theatre for his local church, cruise nights and cites the Remembrance Day service as one of his favourite events as mayor. Photo by David Tuan Bui.

Jones began his political career in 1998 as a Douro-Dummer Councillor, the first year both townships became amalgamated. He was elected as mayor in 2003 and elected as Chair of the Eastern Ontario Wardens’ Caucus in 2011.

“I've been at it locally in municipal government for 24 years. I can't believe it has gone by that fast,” said Jones. “It seems like five years ago since I started, it's unbelievable.”

Jones cited his reasoning for retirement as that ‘it’s time.’

“It's really hard to explain,” said Jones. “I know it's time and I've come to peace with it. I'm just looking forward to taking it a little easier with a little less stress in my life.”

Since Jones is retiring as mayor of Douro-Dummer, he also must step down as the county warden. A role he has served for over 11 years. He says you have to be a mayor/deputy of your local township in order to work with the county.

Jones says honesty was a major reason why he has had a long tenure in local politics.

“I don't think I've promised things that can't be delivered,” he explained. “I think I've treated everyone in a respectful way and given everyone an opportunity to say what they want. I've just tried to be human, tried to be honest and tried to be fair with everyone.”

He credits his sense of humour and good-hearted nature to helping himself and others service his community best.

"There’s always time for humour. That's kind of my mainstay. The world does not have to be that serious,” he said. “We're lucky to live where we are, we're lucky to have what we've got and we're lucky that we have the ability to help those who are less fortunate so mesh all those together and stop being so damn serious and let's just do what needs to be done with a smile on your face."

The soon-retired mayor says one of his proudest works during his time was commemorating the Remembrance Day Cenotaph annually in November. Jones narrated a war memorial video for last year’s ceremony as the centennial anniversary.

“That's something that's very, very, very important to me and I never want to see that fade away,” he explained. “It's something that gives me chills up and down my back as it did years ago and it still does today.”

Prior to his political career, Jones worked in radio. He was employed by CKBT-FM and Country 105 for many years. He founded a one-man monthly news outlet called “Dummer News” for 20 years. He has covered meetings for Dummer and Douro-Dummer after the amalgamation during that stretch.

Jones is his off-time sings in a rock band called “Mike and the Mustangs,” works on audio and video projects and enjoys driving his 1957 Morris Minor.

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What You Need To Know About Voting In the Municipal Election On Oct. 24

With the nomination period closed last Friday, several offices including mayor, councillors and school board trustee positions are part of this year’s municipal election that starts on Oct. 24.

Photo by Luke Best.

The 2022 municipal election includes the office of Mayor of the City of Peterborough, two Councillors for each of the City's five wards, School Board Trustees for the English Public and English Separate school boards.

Residents can vote for one candidate in the office of Mayor, up to two Councillors for their respective wards and a Trustee for both of the school boards.

Visit the interactive online ward map to determine which one you reside in.

Polls are open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Anyone eligible can do online advanced polls starting on Oct. 1. Advance accessible voting is available on Oct. 17 - 21 from 10 p.m. to 4 p.m at City Hall.

Advanced voting opportunities are available on Oct.8, 15 and 22 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. for the following offices:

• Ward 1: Healthy Planet Arena, 911 Monaghan Rd.

• Ward 2: Westdale United Church, 1509 Sherbrooke St.

• Ward 3: Peterborough Public Library, 345 Aylmer St. N.

• Ward 4: Lions Club, 347 Burnham St.

• Ward 5: Northview Community Church, 1000 Fairbairn St.

The following are voting locations for each ward respectively:

Ward 1

• Peterborough Sports & Wellness Centre, 775 Brealey Dr.

• Roger Neilson Public School, 550 Erskine Ave.

• Healthy Planet Arena, 911 Monaghan Rd. (accessible voting equipment)

Ward 2

• Mapleridge Recreation Centre, 1085 Brealey Dr.

• Westdale United Church, 1509 Sherbrooke St. (accessible voting equipment)

• St. Teresa's Catholic School, 1525 Fairmount Blvd.

Ward 3

• Knights of Columbus, 317 Hunter St. W

• Peterborough Public Library, 345 Aylmer St. N (accessible voting equipment)

• Children’s Montessori School, 186 Romaine St.

Ward 4

• Lions Club, 347 Burnham St.

• Otonabee Valley Public School, 580 River Rd. S

• Thomas A. Stewart Secondary School, 1009 Armour Rd.

Ward 5

• Riverview Park & Zoo, 1300 Water St.

• Edmison Heights Public School, 1111 Royal Dr.

• Activity Haven, 180 Barnardo Ave.

• Northview Community Church, 1000 Fairbairn St.

The following is a list of certified candidates and their respective offices:

Mayor

• Stephen Wright

• Henry Clarke

• Jeff Leal

• Victor Kruez

• Brian Lumsden

Councillor - Ward 1 - Otonabee

• Kevin Duguay

• Lesley Parnell

• Nathan Russell-Meharry

• Eleanor Underwood

• Chanté White

Councillor - Ward 2 - Monaghan

• Matt Crowley

• Charmaine Magumbe

• Lyle Saunders

• Don Vassiliadis

• Jeff Westlake

• Tom Wigglesworth

Councillor - Ward 3 - Town

• Alex Bierk

• Brian Christoph

• Vickie Karikas

• Joy Lachica

• Dean Pappas

Councillor - Ward 4 - Ashburnham

• Garv Baldwin

• Andrew MacGregor

• Keith Riel

Councillor - Ward 5 - Northcrest

• Aldo Andreoli

• Andrew Beamer

• Karen Grant

• Dave Haacke

• Carlotta James

• Shauna Kingston

Trustee - Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board

• Wayne Bonner

• Rose Kitney

• Steve Russell

Trustee - Peterborough Victoria Northumberland and Clarington Catholic District School Board

• Mike Ayotte

• Daniel Demers

• Loretta Durst

• Anthony Petrasek

Residents can visit voterlookup.ca to determine if they are on the voters’ list.

Identification (ID) is required when you vote that has your name and address. Two pieces of ID may be necessary in some cases as the City of Peterborough urges some people to be prepared.

You may provide an original, or certified/notarized copy, of any of the following documents:

• Ontario driver’s licence

• Ontario Health Card (photo card)

• Ontario Photo Card

• Ontario motor vehicle permit (vehicle portion)

• cancelled personalized cheque

• mortgage statement, lease or rental agreement relating to property in Ontario

• insurance policy or insurance statement

• loan agreement or other financial agreement with a financial institution

• document issued or certified by a court in Ontario

• any other document from the government of Canada, Ontario or a municipality in Ontario or from an agency or such a government

• any document from a Band Council in Ontario established under the Indian Act (Canada)

• income tax assessment notice

• child tax benefit statement

• statement of employment insurance benefits paid T4E

• statement of old age security T4A (OAS)

• statement of Canada Pension Plan benefits T4A (P)

• Canada Pension Plan statement of contributions

• statement of direct deposit for Ontario Works

• statement of direct deposit for Ontario Disability Support Program

• Workplace Safety and Insurance Board statement of benefits T5007

• property tax assessment

• credit card statement, bank account statement, or RRSP, RRIF, RHOSP or T5 statement

• CNIB Card or a card from another registered charitable organization that provides services to persons with disabilities

• hospital card or record

• document showing campus residence, issued by the office or officials responsible for student residence at a post-secondary institution

• document showing residence at a long-term care home under the Long-Term Care Homes Act, 2007, issued by the Administrator for the home

• utility bill for hydro, water, gas, telephone or cable TV or a bill from a public utilities commission

• cheque stub, T4 statement or pay receipt issued by an employer

• transcript or report card from a post-secondary school

In the case of homelessness or anyone with no permanent/fixed address, you can still vote. Your ward is determined by where you slept the most during the five weeks leading up to the election.

You can vote even if you are unable to provide ID by going to a voting location in your designated ward on any advance vote or election day. Seek out any election staff to aid you in voting upon arrival.

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Jim Coyle Announces Bid For Mayor of Douro-Dummer

Longtime resident Jim Coyle officially launched his campaign for Mayor of Douro-Dummer at the Douro-Dummer Community Centre on Thursday.

Jim Coyle (left) receiving a full endorsement from current mayor and Peterborough County warden J. Murray Jones (right). Photo by David Tuan Bui.

Coyle joins Douro Ward Coun. Heather Watson in the race as current mayor J. Murray Jones has announced he will not seek re-election and retire from politics.

“My life is all about making a difference,” said Coyle. “I really believe with my leadership and helping through, we'll make a big difference in the lives here of Douro-Dummer.”

Jones was in attendance during the rally and gave his full endorsement of Doyle being the next mayor.

“I certainly support him, 100, 200, 300 per cent,” said Jones in his speech to the community centre. “He's the kind of guy we need moving forward.”

Doyle has owned and operated Coyle Packaging Group in Peterborough for 22 years and worked as a chartered accountant prior to the business.

He has been a member of the Rotary Club of Peterborough for 39 years, served on the Boards for the Peterborough Junior Lacrosse Club, the St. Joseph’s Hospital Foundation and Peterborough Golf & Country Club, among others.

Coyle addressed road safety for everyone, affordable housing initiatives, building permit process and accessbiility, high-speed internet access, strengthening emergency response systems for major storms as well as health, fire and police as his top priorities.

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Councillor Heather Watson Running for Douro-Dummer Mayor

Douro Ward Councillor Heather Watson has announced her intention to run for Mayor for the Township of Douro-Dummer in the upcoming Municipal announced on Wednesday.

Photo courtesy of Heather Ward.

She announced her candidacy at the Warsaw Town Hall on Wednesday.

Watson has been a Douro Ward representative since 2018. She has served on boards such as the Kawartha Chamber of Commerce, Peterborough Agricultural Society, Community Futures Peterborough and the United Way Campaign Cabinet.

"Looking to new horizons, I will focus on Building on Tradition,” said Watson. “To grow, we will need to not only look to the future but look to the past. We need to build our community, continue to update our infrastructure and build new partnerships."

Watson claims that she heard from community engagement that there is a need to reconnect and rebuild the community and that inflation and the housing crisis are making it difficult for families. Additionally, municipal facilities need new investment and that the environment and climate change are top of mind for residents.

Watson is holding a Town Hall meeting on Sep. 19 to hear concerns from residents to shape future policy.

“The next several weeks are about you. I want to hear from you and take your guidance as we rebuild and reconnect the community,” she said.

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Former MPP Jeff Leal Enters Peterborough Mayoral Race After Four-Year Absence

After a four-year hiatus from politics, former Liberal MPP Jeff Leal is running to be the next mayor of Peterborough in a campaign launch at the Peterborough Lions Club on Thursday night.

Leal (right) greeting supporters at the door to a room of over 100 people in his campaign launch at the Lions Club. Photo by David Tuan Bui.

Over 100 supporters came out to cheer on Leal as short speeches were made by several dignitaries, highlighting the former MPP’s accomplishments.

Laurie Carr, Hiawatha Chief; Adrian Foster, Clarington Mayor; Durham Coun. Granville Anderson; Lou Rinaldi, former Northumberland MPP and Ashburnham Ward Councillor Gary Baldwin were some notable figures present at the event. Carr and Baldwin spoke at Leal’s campaign while J. Murray Jones, Douro-Dummer mayor, sent a video endorsement but was not present at the event.

Leal served four consecutive terms as the MPP for the Peterborough - Kawartha riding from 2003 to 2018 until current Conservative MPP Dave Smith won the seat. The former MPP says he’s spent his time off politics volunteering in the community.

"I'm currently the chair of the board of Employment Planning and Counselling Peterborough, I'm vice-chair of the board of St. Joseph's at Fleming long-term care home, I'm on the strategic planning committee, I have a passion for golf at the Kawartha Golf & Country Club and I've also been doing consulting work in the field of agriculture,” said Leal.

The new mayoral candidate said had no intention of returning to politics, let alone running for mayor until he received overwhelming encouragement from peers and citizens.

"After 2018, I didn't aspire to run for political office again but certainly over the last four years, I've been an observer of things in the City of Peterborough and it's the unprecedented encouragement that I got,” explained Leal. “People coming up to me and said, 'We really think with the skills that you demonstrated in the past would be helpful to build a better Peterborough down the road.’”

Leal served under former Liberal Premier Kathleen Wynne. He worked in several ministries as an MPP such as the Ministry of Energy, Ministry of Environment and the Minister of Agriculture and Food and Rural Affairs. He says that experience will help in accomplishing his top priority if elected as mayor.

“One of the things that I'm going to identify is '100 Days of Action,' and part of that will be over the next six months to enter into positive, respectful, sensitive negotiations with Cavan-Monaghan to annex the City of Peterborough by 4,000 acres so we actually have the platform we need to encourage growth for future prosperity both for the City of Peterborough and the county of Peterborough,” explained Leal.

Leal joins councillors Stephen Wright and Henry Clarke for the mayoral race. Mayor Diane Therrien stated that she will not seek re-election in the fall last year. Voting day is Oct. 24 beginning at 10 a.m. with polls closing at 8 p.m.

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City of Peterborough Reminding Residents To Ensure They Are Registered To Vote Ahead Of October Election

The City of Peterborough asks residents to confirm that they are registered to vote in the upcoming municipal and school board elections on October 24 Residents can visit peterborough.ca/voters check to make sure they are on the voters list.

File Photo.

Residents, owners, and tenants of property in the City of Peterborough who are Canadian citizens and at least 18 years old on Election Day are eligible to vote in the municipal election in Peterborough.

Registering in advance helps ensure a seamless voting experience and is necessary for those who plan to vote online.

“We’re planning for convenient online voting and voting locations in neighbourhoods throughout the community to make it simple for people to cast their votes in the municipal election on October 24. By making sure you’re on the voters list, you will be ready to cast your vote on Election Day,” said Vicki King, Elections Coordinator with the City of Peterborough.

Both online and in-person voting will be available for the 2022 municipal election. Online voting starts Oct. 1 and ends Oct. 24 at 8 p.m. In-person voting will be available at advance voting locations on Oct. 8, Oct. 15, and Oct. 22 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and on election day on Oct. 24 from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Voter Notification Cards will be sent to registered voters by mail in late September or early October. The notification card will specify the assigned voting location for the registered voter. Voters who choose to vote in person must vote in their designated ward. All voting locations are barrier-free for people with disabilities. Online voting is a convenient option that will allow registered voters to vote from anywhere using a smartphone, tablet, or computer with internet access.

Details on voting options are posted on the municipal election website at peterborough.ca/vote. An advance voting location that provides enhanced accessibility features will be provided at City Hall, 500 George St. N., from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily from Oct. 17 to Oct. 21.

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MPP Dave Smith Elected For Second Term In Provincial Election

It’s four more years for Conservative candidate and MPP Dave Smith as he won the 2022 Peterborough-Kawartha Riding for the provincial election held on Thursday night.

Dave Smith earns back-to-back terms for the Conservative Party. Gary Stewart was the last Conservative MPP for the Peterborough-Kawartha riding to get elected for consecutive terms from 1995-2003. Photo by Luke Best.

Smith won the riding with 20,188 votes, getting a 38.5 per cent share of the ballots. This win marks the start of his second term as MPP.

"Anytime you're an elected official, the whole goal is to help the people that have put you there," said Smith. "For this many people to step forward once again and say, 'we like what you've done, we believe in you, please represent us again,' it's a very humbling experience."

Smith held his election party at the Peterborough Golf & Country Club that had a small and quiet crowd in the final hour before ballots closed at 9 p.m. EST.

The crowd picked up to roughly 80 people once ballots were being counted. It only took 38 minutes since the polls closed before Smith was declared the winner. There were chants of ‘four more years’ and a loud cheer once the result was in.

"When we went out there with Covid, I tried listening to what the challenges were," said Smith. "People recognized that I was there in their corner in a tough time and I was trying to do things that were going to make life better for them."

Smith’s victory was a stepping stone for the Conservative Party as Premier Doug Ford was re-elected to a second term 11 minutes after polls closed. They earned a majority government seven minutes later.

"I think people were happy with what we did over the last four years," said Smith. "They recognized that Premier Ford has a heart of gold and his whole intent is for the people of Ontario.”

Smith says ‘the work is not done yet’ as he has several issues he wants to tackle after being re-elected. He says he has a start on addressing the healthcare challenges in the province by rebuilding the economy and getting people jobs first.

"When the economy is moving well, we have more money as government to do all of the extra things we need to support people," he said.

Smith notes that more work needs to be done in healthcare, long-term care, education skills trades, natural resources, forestry and Indigenous affairs.

All photos by Luke Best.

The following were the results of the Peterborough-Kawartha Riding:

• Dave Smith (Conservative) - 20,188 votes (38.5 per cent)

• Greg Dempsey (Liberal) - 16,021 votes (30.6 per cent)

• Jen Deck (New Democratic) - 11,210 votes (21.4 per cent)

• Tom Morazzo (Ontario Party) - 1,973 votes (3.8 per cent)

• Robert Gibson (Green) - 1,914 votes (3.7 per cent)

• Rebecca Quinnell (New Blue) - 1,078 votes (2.1 per cent)

Dempsey made a brief visit congratulating Smith’s win while Deck and Gibson spent a longer amount of time with the Conservative candidate after his win.

Ontario Liberal Steven Del Duca lost his hometown riding of Vaughan-Woodbridge and stepped down as leader. He lost to Michael Tibollo who defeated him back in 2018.

NDP’s Andrea Horwath resigned as leader however the party remains as the official opposition. She won her riding of Hamilton Centre in a landslide by nearly 12,000 votes (57.3 per cent share).

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NDP Federal Leader Jagmeet Singh Hits Peterborough Since Infamous Incident on Prior Visit

It only took 21 days for New Democratic Party (NDP) federal leader Jagmeet Singh to return to Peterborough on Tuesday since he was met with a protest following a campaign visit on May 10.

NDP federal leader Jagmeet Singh (left) with Peterborough-Kawartha NDP candidate Jen Deck (right) with her dog Niko. Singh was invited back to Peterborough after a City Council meeting Monday night. Photo by Luke Best.

Photo by Luke Best.

Photo by Luke Best.

Photo by Luke Best.

Photo by Luke Best.

Photo by Luke Best.

Photo by Luke Best.

He accepted Peterborough’s invitation after City Council agreed to bring him back in their meeting Monday night. Protestors shouted obscenities and called him a ‘traitor’ following his visit to Peterborough-Kawartha NDP candidate Jen Deck at her campaign office.

“I've had lots of great experiences in Peterborough so I wasn't going to let one isolated incident in any way discourage me from coming back,” said Singh. “What happened when I was first here in terms of the folks that were in front of the office, that's not representative of Peterborough. There are people that are genuinely frustrated and angry and I think we have to listen to that frustration.”

In a small gathering at the Lift Lock, supporters and Deck welcomed Singh. The federal leader endorsed the Peterborough-Kawartha candidate as the next MPP during his time in Peterborough.

Singh reminded voters that his party wants to address healthcare, education and the housing crisis as ‘things that really matter to people.’

The provincial election is on Thursday. Deck is challenging current MPP and Conservative candidate Dave Smith.

The following are the candidates for the Peterborough-Kawartha Riding in the provincial election:

• MPP Dave Smith (Conservative)

• Greg Dempsey (Liberal)

• Jen Deck (New Democratic Party)

• Robert Gibson (Green Party)

• Tom Morazzo (Ontario Party)

• Rebecca Quinnell (New Blue Party)

• Dylan Smith (None of the Above Party)

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NDP Leader Andrea Horwath Addresses Government Cuts in Campaign Visit to Peterborough

The New Democratic Party (NDP) is making its final push this provincial election as leader Andrea Horwath came to Peterborough to support candidate Jen Deck and criticize opposing parties in a rally on Monday.

NDP Peterborough-Kawartha candidate Jen Deck (left) with NDP provincial leader Andrea Horwath during a rally at Silver Bean Café. Horwath last visited Peterborough on Wednesday in her first day back to campaigning after leaving COVID-19 protocols. Photo by David Tuan Bui.

Supporters chanted the candidates’ names and phrases such as, “Stop the cuts!” as the women came to the Silver Bean Café during the final week before the election this Thursday. Both candidates criticized the Ford government and their alleged cuts and the Liberal government for creating a “broken system.”

"I'm certain that people know what's at stake in this election campaign and they know that many of the things that are broken were broken by the Liberals," said Horwath. "Things have gotten much worse under Doug Ford and Conservative cuts always hurt. That's what we're hearing on the doorstep."

Horwath says stopping the cuts to the healthcare system one of the party’s top priorities if elected including scrapping Bill 124 which caps healthcare worker salaries. She criticized the Liberal government’s handling of releasing vast numbers of healthcare workers during the pandemic.

Deck has been a teacher in Peterborough for over 19 years. She says the teachers have been working tirelessly during the pandemic and deserve better treatment.

"When I talk to my teaching colleagues, they are exhausted after three hard years," said Deck. "We need to start treating our educators with the respect that they deserve, they've worked their butts off to make the experience as positive as possible but it's been really hard and they've had a lot going against them."

Both Deck and Horwath oppose Ford’s plan for mandatory online learning. Deck says not all students have proper Internet to be capable of online learning and miss out on the full experience as a result.

“It's about community, it's about sharing and it's about playing well with others. These are not skills you can teach on a Zoom call," "You need to be looking eye-to-eye with the kids and teaching them those life lessons and modeling behaviour that you'd like them to emulate."

The provincial election is on Thursday. Deck is challenging current MPP and Conservative candidate Dave Smith.

The following are the candidates for the Peterborough-Kawartha Riding in the provincial election:

• MPP Dave Smith (Conservative)

• Greg Dempsey (Liberal)

• Jen Deck (New Democratic Party)

• Robert Gibson (Green Party)

• Tom Morazzo (Ontario Party)

• Rebecca Quinnell (New Blue Party)

• Dylan Smith (None of the Above Party)

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