PARR: NDP candidate 'a bit bummed out'

James Parr, Guelph’s provincial NDP candidate was defeated.

“I’m a bit bummed out. We put in a good effort,” said Parr Thursday evening after finishing a distant fourth in the Guelph riding.

“I think Mike representing Guelph, he’ll put Guelph’s interests first. I look forward to him holding Doug Ford to account.”

Parr said he hopes the Ontario government will put the needs of Ontarians first. People have gone through unnecessary hardships in the last two years, he said. 

Parr said hopes the Ontario PC government will prioritize mental health help, affordable housing and the climate crisis. 

“I think Andrea Horwath will continue to do the great work that she’s been doing prior to this election. Standing up for workers and for those who have not been heard,” he said. “She will continue to put the NDP name out there and make sure Doug Ford is held to account.”

Andrea Horwath, NDP leader resigned as leader an hour after GuelphToday spoke with Parr.

This was Parr’s first time involved with politics as a candidate. 

“This whole experience has really opened my eyes and made me very involved with politics. Whether it be provincially or municipally I definitely see more politics and trying to serve Guelph in my future.”

Perseverance is what he said he learned throughout the campaign process. “It was really just pushing through my own self-doubt and making sure I could be the best James Parr I could be.”

He said he wouldn’t do anything differently looking back on how he ran his campaign. “We have a lot of great lessons learned and we look forward to applying them to future elections.”

Parr said he would like to see more voter turnout in the future. “I want all Guelphites regardless who is running just to vote because only when we vote we get our voices heard and we get the community we want.”

Affordability is what came up the most from Guelphites Parr spoke with. “It was fear of not knowing where their next house will be or getting evicted because the rising cost of housing in Guelph is just unlivable for majority of folks.”

One immediate change Parr said he would like to see is to end exclusionary zoning. “Allowing municipalities to build livable, walkable, workable and playable cities and communities.” 

The Not In My Backyard campaign and focusing on single family dwellings all in one area are some of the barriers to ending exclusionary zoning, said Parr.