Hamilton Centre byelection: Where candidates stand on provincial issues, from housing to health care
CBC
The byelection for the next MPP to represent Hamilton Centre is fast approaching.
Candidates have hit the downtown streets, knocking on doors and getting to know residents ahead of advanced polling, which runs March 8 to 10, and election day on March 16.
Voters can already cast ballots at the riding's returning office at the Centre on Barton from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
The winner will replace former NDP party leader Andrea Horwath, who stepped down to become mayor last year, two months after she was re-elected as MPP in the June provincial election.
Unlike in regular provincial elections, the winner of the byelection won't be part of forming a new government, but rather will need to make their voice heard in Doug Ford's current Progressive Conservative government.
It's still an important election, said Green Party candidate Lucia Iannantuono.
"This is really a 'message' election," she said. "And I think one of the things that's really important is to have an elected official who is getting up and talking about issues we're not hearing about."
As of March 3, 10 candidates were listed with Elections Ontario as running for MPP. They are:
CBC Hamilton caught up with leading party candidates Iannantuono, Jama, Pike and Wiesner, as they were out canvassing this past week, to find out their stance on big issues impacting residents.
Iannantuono for the Greens
According to her website, Iannantuono is a hardware engineer who has been "active in Hamilton's environmental movement."
Jama for the NDP
Jama is a well-known disability and housing activist, working as the executive director of the Disability Justice Network of Ontario and a member of the Hamilton Encampment Support Network.
Pike for the Liberals
P.E.I.'s Public Schools Branch is looking for 50 substitute bus drivers, and it'll be recruiting at three job fairs on Saturday, June 8. The job fairs are located at the Atlantic Superstore in Montague, Royalty Crossing in Charlottetown, and the bus parking lot of Three Oaks Senior High in Summerside. All three run from 9 a.m. until noon. Dave Gillis, the director of transportation and risk management for the Public Schools Branch, said the number of substitute drivers they're hiring isn't unusual. "We are always looking for more. Our drivers tend to have an older demographic," he said.