A longtime party supporter will carry the Progressive Conservative Party banner locally into next month’s election. Robert Coole, president of the Guelph riding association, was announced Tuesday as the party’s local candidate.
“I believe in what they stand for,” Coole said of what inspired him to put his name forward for the nomination. “If I'm gonna believe in it, I'm going to have to do it at some point.”
Coole has been a member of the Guelph PC riding association since 2012 and has served as its president since 2014. He’s also on the board locally for the Conservative Party of Canada riding association.
The semi-retired horse trainer is a volunteer on the Guelph legion branch executive board and acts as a liaison with the city regarding developing plans for a veterans’ memorial crosswalk. Further, he’s a member of the area’s grant review team for the Ontario Trillium Foundation.
Coole said there were others who expressed an interest in running for the PCs in Guelph, but he opted to put his name forward for vetting by provincial party officials as well.
In the end, they chose him rather than host a nomination meeting with other potential candidates in the running.
Asked what he thinks are the most pressing issues in the riding, Coole identified healthcare – “We need a second hospital.” – housing and working with the City of Guelph to increase the number of industrial businesses in town.
“If you don't have a seat at the table, you can't get any of it done,” he said, a seemingly veiled reference to electing an MPP who is not part of the party that forms a government.
In terms of the timing of the snap election, Coole pointed out party leaders have been campaigning for more than a month at this point, they just weren’t allowed to put up signs.
Also in the running for Guelph’s seat at Queen’s Park are incumbent MPP Mike Schreiner, representing the Green Party of Ontario, and the NDP’s Cameron Spence.
