Newmarket-Aurora’s Gallagher Murphy promises to “make sure voices are heard” at Queen’s Park

March 6, 2025 · 0 Comments

Newmarket-Aurora MPP-elect Dawn Gallagher Murphy is focused on ensuring communities like Aurora’s north riding “can thrive and succeed” amid current economic uncertainty.

Gallagher Murphy, who was elected to a second term at Queen’s Park by local voters on Thursday night, underscored her commitment to the community at a victory party held at Wicked Eats shortly after polls closed on February 27.

First elected in 2022, Gallagher Murphy topped the poll with 20,780 votes – or 47.43 per cent of the vote. Coming in second, with 18,355 votes, was former provincial cabinet minister and Aurora councillor Chris Ballard, with Denis Heng of the Ontario NDP earning 2,754 votes, or 6.29 per cent of the ballots.

Rounding out the results were Green Party candidate David Jakubiek with 1,096 votes, New Blue candidate Shirin Khasbakhi with 536 votes, and Ontario Moderate Party candidate Yuri Duboisky with 287 votes.

“I am so grateful and so humbled by the support of the people of Newmarket-Aurora,” said Gallagher Murphy, addressing supporters. “First and foremost, thank you – thank you to every single volunteer, supporter and voter who believed in our vision and put in work to make tonight possible. From knocking on doors and making phone calls, delivering lawn signs and having conversations on the door step or at the grocery store. To getting out the vote today, yesterday, last week for the advance polls – you made the difference. Thank you so much.”

The MPP-elect also paid heartfelt tribute to husband Ivan and son Robert, and also had a good word for her fellow candidates.

“Running for public office is no small task and I respect anyone willing to step forward to serve their community. I thank them. Democracy is a privilege and the people of Newmarket-Aurora have made their voices heard,” she said. “This campaign was about all of us – about what we can achieve together. For the past several weeks, we have been sharing our plan to protect Ontario, a plan focused on keeping life affordable, building critical infrastructure, and standing up for workers and families against unfair and illegal tariffs. Now, it is time to turn our commitments into action – delivering results for families, for businesses, and for communities that put their trust in us to protect Ontario.

“We have a responsibility to ensure Ontario remains a place where businesses can grow, families can thrive, and communities like ours right here in Newmarket-Aurora, can thrive and succeed. That means ensuring good-paying jobs, tackling the housing crisis, and keeping taxes low so families can get ahead. It means making the right investments in Southlake, in our local mental health and community care centre, and in long-term care. In our schools, in our transit, and in the roads and highways that keep our communities moving. It means working with law enforcement and invest in our Guns & Gangs Violence Reduction Strategy to dismantle auto theft rings and continuing to strengthen the Province’s bail system and ensuring offenders comply with their bail conditions. I am proud of the work we have done and we’re just getting started!”

Speaking to The Auroran following her speech, Gallagher Murphy said her three local priorities were assisting Southlake Health as they work towards realizing their second campus, bringing the Region’s Mental Health and Addictions Hub to reality, and helping local schools realize their full potential.

“[Southlake is] quickly moving into phase two of the capital planning development and I am looking forward to advocating and making sure that when they announce the parcel of land that will be chosen for the building of the new 360 acute care bed facility; I look forward to being there with them and obviously supporting them with the next planning grant that they will need for that. [Second] is continuing to work on the mental health and community care centre. Right now it is being built on Yonge Street. It is one of my top priorities. We are looking for he different phases and how we’re going to ensure it opens by 2026; there are a lot of different moving parts with that one I am working on, and am looking forward to working with the Minister of Health on that one.

“Third is working with the Minister of Sport. There’s a couple of projects that have been submitted through the community and sport recreation grant program for both the rehabilitation and there’s a nice grant application that the community submitted and I am looking forward to supporting that. It has something to do with Huron Heights football field – and the second, I won’t get too much into, but it is another project that I am excited about and looking forward to working with the Town of Newmarket on.

“To all the constituents, I am thrilled with the number of people who came out and voted because I think that is critical – to have that full democracy, having people cast their vote. It doesn’t matter if it was for me, or if it was for one of my opponents, they cast their vote, and having that democratic right fulfilled makes me very happy, makes me thrilled that they have returned me back, and I look forward to every moment in accomplishing all the goals to ensure these three projects and all the other things I’m working on all come to fruition.”

By Brock Weir