Ontario PC leadership hopeful Christine Elliott isn’t sure which riding she will represent in the provincial election later this year, but she’s pretty sure it isn’t going to be Guelph.
“I don’t expect so, no,” said Elliott during her visit to the city on Friday.
“There are still about 25 ridings that are still available and I want it to be a good fit both ways — it has to be a place that wants me and it also has to be a place that I feel I can make a meaningful contribution as a representative for people who live in a riding,” added Elliott.
About 175 people packed into Symposium Cafe on Stone Road to hear from the leadership hopeful, who is leading the race in some polls.
To applause, Elliott spoke about her belief in scrapping a tax on carbon emissions.
Abiding by the federal carbon tax is currently enshrined in the Ontario PC’s 147-promise ‘People’s Guarantee, which was drafted under the party’s previous leader Patrick Brown.
Speaking to media after the event, Elliott said there are other ways to be environmentally responsible.
“There’s a lot of work we can do without imposing a tax on people. It doesn’t always have to be about charging people more money,” she said.
Elliott’s visit came on the same day as online voting for the leadership contest began — with some problems dogging the process.
Some Ontario PC members are still waiting for registration codes to be sent in the mail to allow them to vote in the contest.
Those interested in voting for the new Tory leader had until Feb. 16 to join the party.
Members who wish to cast an online ballot originally had until Friday to register to vote, but the party extended the deadline to 11:59 p.m. on March 5.
Elliott said the party is certainly listening by extending the date to Monday.
“We are following it closely to see if a further extension is required. If so, we will certainly make that request to the party,” said Elliott.
The leadership will be determined using a ranked ballot, in which voters pick their preferred candidates and have the option to select a second, third and fourth choice.
Elliott is vying for the leadership against Tanya Granic Allen, Doug Ford and Caroline Mulroney.
Ted Arnott, MPP for Wellington, was on hand at Friday’s event to support Elliott.
“I think she would be an outstanding leader of our party and premier of the province,” said Arnott. “I worked with her for many years at Queen’s Park and without question she is the one who has the experience to lead our province right now.”
“She has run for leader in the past and I supported her for leader twice before — I believe this is her time,” he added.
Elliott is the second Ontario PC leadership hopeful to stop in Guelph during the campaign. Mulroney made an appearance in February.
Arnott has been hearing a lot about the voting problems, but notes that online voting was necessary because of the short time span to choose a new leader.
“It’s a very compressed process, in terms of the timeframe — which is causing some logistical problems,” said Arnott. “I realize in the tight time frame they felt that the only way to do it would be online voting, but it’s very difficult for many senior citizens who aren’t as comfortable with a computer.”
Robert Coole, president of the Guelph riding association for the Ontario PC party, echoes those concerns.
“If you don’t have a computer, you have to know someone who does to vote — which isn’t fair to the people that are up in years that built this party from the ground up. Now they are 85 or 90 and it’s not fair to them,” said Coole.
Coole has not yet voted himself, but has been helping local members who are having troubles with the system.
"It's a simple process," he said.
— with files from The Canadian Press
