Windsor-Essex has become a busy stop as candidates seek votes for the Ontario PC leadership.
Doug Ford was in the region Sunday, where he heard from residents in Leamington before holding a rally at the Fogolar Furlan in Windsor.
“We're going to create jobs, lower taxes, cut hydro rates and these are some of the concerns that I'm hearing,” says Ford.
Some Progressive Conservative supporters believe Ford should be the next leader of the PC Party and go head to head with Premiere Kathleen Wynne.
“I've seen these people surrounding the other campaigns. They're the same people who have been part of our party for 30 years,” said one supporter. “The grassroots people don't have a voice. It’s about time the grassroots people have a voice and we'll be their voice.”
Ford’s visit followed a stop by leadership hopeful Caroline Mulroney in Windsor and Chatham on Saturday.
“The people of Windsor deserve so much better than the 15 years of Liberal failure that we have all endured,” said Mulroney, a mother of four and the daughter of former Prime Minister Brian Mulroney.
Mulroney’s plan includes lowering the cost of hydro, and a 20 per cent tax cut for the middle class. She also wants to increase access to affordable child care and address the more than 30,000 seniors waiting for long term care beds.
“The Liberals have doubled the size of our budget and they've doubled the size of our debt, and we do not get twice the amount of goods and services for that,” said Mulroney. “We need to do better with the money that we collect from people and that is what I intend to do.”
Another PC leadership hopeful Christine Elliott was in Leamington and Windsor at the end of last week, where she discussed making Ontario affordable again.
“There are things across the board from repealing the Green Energy Act to getting people's hydro bills down to bringing in tax relief because people are really struggling,” said Elliott.
Elliott finished second to Patrick Brown in the PC party leadership race in 2015. She highlighted her political experience during her stop.
“I could be ready to go March 11th to start the campaign,” said Elliott. “I've also taken Kathleen Wynne on in Question Period before, and I'm certainly very ready to do that again. I'm the only candidate that's in that position.”
Windsor-Tecumseh PC candidate Mohammad Latif has pledged his support for Elliott while Windsor-West PC Candidate Adam Ibrahim has decided to remain neutral.
Both candidates supported Brown before he stepped down as leader over sexual misconduct allegations.
The fourth PC leadership candidate, social conservative advocate Tanya Granic Allen, is scheduled to visit Windsor on Tuesday.
She will hold a meet and greet at the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 594 on Howard Ave. at 7:30 p.m.
Great to speak w/ @CTVWindsor and @EssexFreePress in Windsor about my plan to get Ontario back on track #momentum #onpoli pic.twitter.com/aSrfoD4GXl
— Caroline Mulroney (@C_Mulroney) March 3, 2018
Christine Elliott answering serious questions from a gathering at the Lumberjack Restaurant. I hope she has time to try the flapjacks @PCParty1867 @mlatifawan @CTVWindsor pic.twitter.com/6Z3zpy0NOZ
— Bob BellaciccoCTV (@BBellaciccoCTV) March 2, 2018