Now, it’s time to decide.
Looking at the big picture politically, for many this provincial election is a referendum on how Doug “Get It Done” Ford has navigated our province through two years of an unprecedented pandemic.
With society finally coming out the other side of a long, difficult period, it is easy to forget the indecision, poor decisions and just plain politically motivated decisions that Ford made amid the COVID calamity.
But, if the opinion polls are to be believed, “folks” are cutting Ford plenty of slack and his party seems headed for another majority.
So, what do you do? Do you climb on the bandwagon, vote strategically or just cast a ballot for the local candidate you deem is best able to represent you?
Which brings us to where your vote can actually make a difference – our local riding, known as Niagara Falls.
Liberal Ashley Waters might be a wonderful person and a fine candidate, but for whatever reason, Liberals in this riding don’t seem to resonate with voters. Perhaps it’s a hangover from the McGuinty-Wynne years where Liberal arrogance left that party in tatters.
Progressive Conservative Bob Gale is a well-known, successful entrepreneur whose name is plastered on gas stations all over Niagara. He’s a Niagara Falls regional councillor known for being outspoken and controversial, but in this campaign, he’s been a cipher.
Like many PCs, he ducked attending debates held “for the people” to see and hear their candidates in action. He’s avoided media scrutiny and happily spouted the predictable “Get It Done” party messaging, but not really told us how he will make a difference for this riding.
New Democrat incumbent Wayne Gates is a consummate retail politician, a guy who seems to be everywhere. Community events, family celebrations, charitable causes, you name it, no gathering seems too small for him to show up at.
Besides this constituency work, one of his big wins this past year was getting the governing PCs to cover the costs of continuous glucose monitoring systems for people with type 1 diabetes.
But our overriding concern in determining who to recommend to voters in this riding was simple: Is Gates deserving and has he earned the chance to serve another term in office?
We think he has.
