Waterloo Region Record

CAMBRIDGE

CAMBRIDGE TIMES

The Cambridge riding includes the City of Cambridge south of Highway 401, the Township of North Dumfries and part of the County of Brant lying north of a line of Paris Plains Church Road, and east including Scenic Drive and Howell Road.

It encompasses an area of 355 square kilometres with a population of 115,460, based on a 2016 census.

THE RACE New Blue Party

Belinda Karahalios has represented the riding since 2018. Karahalios was voted in under the Progressive Conservatives banner, but was booted from caucus in July 2020 after voting against legislation expanding the government’s emergency authority. Sitting as an independent, Karahalios, along with husband, Jim, started the New Blue Party.

Liberal party

Surekha Shenoy is a former financial services executive/engineer who ran as a candidate in the 2018 provincial election for Kitchener South—Hespeler. Shenoy believes the Ford government failed in making tough decisions, especially during emergencies.

Progressive Conservative party

Brian Riddell is a professor/sales director who is new to the political scheme, but states he has relevant experience in education, communications, strategic management, engineering manufacturing, sales and marketing.

New Democratic Party

Marjorie Knight is a family outreach worker who ran for the NDP in the 2018 election. Knight is also a housing advocate and sits on the board of the Cambridge Shelter and ACCKWA.

Green Party

Carla Johnson is a retired teacher who ran in Ward 8 of the municipal election in 2018. Johnson said she will listen to the experts and scientists on challenging issues and champion ventures here.

THE ISSUES Housing

The NDP are proposing ending exclusionary zoning, bringing back rent control, creating a portable housing benefit and building 100,000 units of social housing over the next decade. The Green Party plans to implement a multiple homes speculation tax on purchases of new homes for buyers who already own two or more homes or condos, starting at 20 per cent for the third home purchased and increasing with each additional home. Also, the Greens will expand zoning options to increase housing supply.

Health Care

The Progressive Conservatives will spend $158.8 billion over 10 years, with a portion of that on hospitals. Hospital operating budgets were just given a $827-million boost as well. The NDP will hire 10,000 personal support workers and 30,000 nurses, as well as 300 doctors in northern Ontario, including 100 specialists and 40 mental-health practitioners. The Greens want to expand the number of women’s health clinics and abortion clinics in Ontario.

Climate Change

The NDP propose to reduce Ontario’s greenhouse gas emissions by at least 50 per cent below 2005 levels by 2030, achieve net-zero emissions by 2050 and establish a new cap-and-trade system. The Liberals propose to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 50 per cent below 2005 levels by 2030 and achieve net-zero emissions by 2050, as well

as strengthen requirements of industrial emitters and put $9 billion over four years into a clean economy plan.

Anti-Racism and Inclusion

The NDP proposes to implement a provincial anti-racism strategy, appoint a minister responsible for anti-racism, erect a Holocaust memorial on the grounds of the legislature and pass the Our London Family Act to combat Islamophobia. The Liberals plan to provide culturally competent gender-affirming health, mental health and long-term care, as well as create a new fund to hire more police officers from under-represented communities.

Infrastructure

The Progressive Conservatives are planning highway projects that include: Highway 413 and the Bradford bypass; widening Highway 401 east from Pickering; and improving the QEW Skyway. The Liberals plan is to make all transit fares across the province $1 per ride and reduce monthly transit passes to $40 until January 2024.

BACKGROUND

In the 2018 provincial election, Progressive Conservative candidate Belinda Karahalios won the riding of Cambridge with 17,793 votes. NDP candidate Marjorie Knight finished second with 15,639 votes, followed by incumbent Liberal party candidate Kathryn McGarry at 11,191. The remaining votes went to Green Party’s Michele Braniff with 3,018 and Libertarian Allan Dettweiler with 490.

Cambridge had been primarily Progressive Conservative since 1995, with Gerry Martiniuk representing the riding until he retired in 2011. PC’s Rob Leone served one term before losing to McGarry, who subsequently lost to Karahalios.

ONTARIO VOTES

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2022-05-21T07:00:00.0000000Z

2022-05-21T07:00:00.0000000Z

https://waterloorecord.pressreader.com/article/282918094071162

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