Ontario Liberals are counting on Brockville’s mayor to help them win a riding that’s been a Tory stronghold for years. Mayor Dave Henderson was acclaimed the Liberal candidate for Leeds-Grenville-Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes at the Brockville Convention Centre on March 15.
Henderson says he’s excited for this next chapter and he’s ready to get to work for the riding.
“It’s about picking up the little guy and making sure that everyone is helped up,” said Henderson, adding, “making sure that everybody benefits from what we are doing.”
This isn’t the first time Henderson has tried to enter provincial politics. Back in 2010, he lost the Progressive Conservative nomination to current MPP Steve Clark. Henderson says he made the switch to the Liberal Party because he feels the PCs have become regressive.
“The Progressive Conservative Party is not progressive now and it’s a different party,” said Henderson.
Among those in attendance was Premier Kathleen Wynne. A packed house watched as Wynne congratulated Brockville’s three-term mayor, calling him a wonderful leader in the community who understands the direction the Liberals are going provincially.
But the latest numbers in an exclusive Global News poll by Ipsos shows that the Conservatives continue to lead Ontario’s leadership race with 39 per cent. The Liberals follow with 32 per cent, while the NDP hold 25 per cent.
“There are polls, and there are polls, and there are polls,” said Wynne, adding,”We are going to work very, very hard between now and June 7, and the people of Ontario who are wise and who know their communities, they will make that decision, but our focus is on how can we respond to what people are saying to us? What are the challenges that people in every community, including in Brockville, all over the province, what are they saying to us, and how can we make sure that they have the supports that they need?”
Now that Henderson is officially the Liberal candidate, he says he will be taking a leave of absence from council closer to the June 7 election.
Comments