Elliott and Ford make final pitches to Aurora voters

March 7, 2018 · 0 Comments

By Brock Weir

They’re running in a dead heat to be the next leader of the Ontario Progressive Conservative Party and frontrunners Christine Elliott and Doug Ford spent part of the final week of the campaign making their final pitches to local voters.
With the winner set to be announced after a vote tally in Markham on Saturday, both Ms. Elliott and Mr. Ford made direct appeals to voters in Newmarket-Aurora and Aurora-Oak Ridges-Richmond Hill, each appearing to packed houses of supporters and party faithful.
The duo are in a tight race to replace former leader Patrick Brown as party leader ahead of the June 7 Provincial election, a race which also includes York-Simcoe PC candidate Caroline Mulroney and conservative activist Tanya Granic Allen.
Brown, who resigned last month, briefly entered the race to replace himself but bowed out less than a week later.
Ms. Elliott was first to hit Aurora, meeting with neighbours at Aw, Shucks, alongside Aurora-Oak Ridges-Richmond Hill PC candidate Michael Parsa who has endorsed her leadership bid.
There, she touted her experience in “standing up” to Premier Kathleen Wynne at Queen’s Park.
“We don’t have time for a leader in training,” she said.
Meanwhile, on Monday night, Doug Ford was welcomed to Oakview Terrace, just south of Leslie Street and Bloomington Road by Newmarket-Aurora PC candidate Charity McGrath, who has endorsed the former Toronto councillor.
“We’re going to sanitize Queen’s Park,” he said. “We’re going to make sure we sanitize our own party as well.”
For more on their respective pitches to Aurora voters, please see Pages 12 and 13.