Jeff Kawzenuk — Liberal Party
Valerie MacDonald Reporting /image supplied
Above image: Kawzenuk with his daughters Jenna and Jaime
It was no surprise given the recent polling results that put the incumbent PC Party out in front, that neophyte Liberal candidate, Jeff Kawzenuk, came in second to incumbent PC MPP and Environment Minister David Piccini in Northumberland-Peterborough South.
Earlier on Election Day June 2, Kawzenuk and daughters Jenna and Jaime voted at Colborne Public School and then Kawzenuk spent the balance of the day”supporting his volunteers getting the vote out around the region,” stated a media release. While watching the initial results, Kawzenuk was at home with his family and then moved to the Carpenter’s Hall on Croft Street in Port Hope.
Half an hour after the polls closed, Piccini had 51% of the vote with Kawzenuk trailing him with about 20% of those who had cast their ballot in the local riding. And by 9:45 p.m. Liberal Party Leader Stephen Del Duca had lost his seat to the PC candidate in his home town, the riding of Vaughan-Woodbridge.At 10:10 and after 54 out of 104 local riding polls reporting, Piccini more than doubled Kawzenuk’s votes at 20,400 to 9,956.
Repeated attempts to reach Kawzenuk by the News Now Network for comment were unsuccessful and phone messages were not returned.
Kim Mcarthur-Jackson — New Democratic Party
John Campbell Reporting
Kim McArthur-Jackson, the NDP candidate, said it was “disappointing” the Progressive Conservatives were returned to office with a larger majority than four years ago.
“It’s an unfortunate result of the current electoral system that we have – first-past-the-post.”
Another large factor in the Conservatives’ convincing victory, she said, was “a really big fear of change” among voters.
“People are really worried about change right now because we’re coming out of COVID … (and they’re) really nervous to see any big changes while we’re still in this recovery mode.”McArthur-Jackson was disappointed to have placed a distant third in the local riding, “but it’s always been a relatively conservative riding so that was something we always knew going in.”
She had hoped people would see “the need for change,” with the cost of gas, groceries and rent “skyrocketing,” but it’s “easier to make do with the devil you know than the one you don’t.”
McArthur-Jackson said she “will be very interested” to see if Doug Ford’s Conservatives will live up to the many promises they made to get re-elected.
Vanessa Head — Ontario Party
Sue Dickens Reporting
Vanessa Head of the Ontario Party spoke to Trent Hills Now just as the early results were coming in and said, “I do believe that there is a lot of strong support for the Ontario Party. Maybe there’s going to be some surprises in the election results yet.”
She was at home with her family watching the election results coming in. News Now Network reached out to her later, but just got her answering machine and invited her to call back with a comment.
Joshua Joey Chalhoub — New Blue Party
Sue Dickens Reporting
New Blue Party candidate Joshua Joey Chalhoub was called, but News Now Network only got his answering machine and invited him to call us back with his comments.
Lisa Francis — Green Party
Ted Amsden Reporting
“The seeds have been sown”
Green Party candidate Lisa Francis enjoyed election day. Went for a bike ride and felt good all day. Got together with her team and thanked them for “their gracious effort.”
Her response Thursday evening with just over half Northumberland-Peterborough South polls reporting was upbeat.
The leader of the party Mike Schreiner was re-elected in his riding of Guelph which she thought was “amazing” and a confirmation that the party’s recognition is slowly but definitely growing.
She cited Liberal leader Steven Del Duca’s inability to get elected, in fact, losing by a considerable majority, as proof that “the red party is fading.”
A close contest in the riding of Parry Sound–Muskoka that the Greens candidate Matt Richter came close to winning is indicative to her that the province is “due for a change.”
She sees “historic change coming” in the future. Just not yet.
CBC Reporting for all 104 polls
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