Third term MPP and Ontario Liberal Party candidate, Michael Coteau stopped by York region last Wednesday, speaking to residents and meeting with fellow Liberal candidates, including York-Simcoe’s candidate, Dr Cynthia Wesley-Esquimaux.
Coteau and Wesley-Esquimaux met at Rogers Reservoir in East Gwillimbury, just a day after she had announced her candidacy in York-Simcoe.
“We had a great conversation,” said Coteau. “I was really impressed with Cynthia.”
Wesley-Esquimaux is not new to the political game. She ran in 2011 against former Conservative leader, Peter Van Loan. She is currently the Indigenous Chair on Truth and Reconciliation in the Aboriginal Initiatives Department at Lakehead University in Thunder Bay. She has taken a leave in order to help run her campaign.
“I am honoured to be running to represent York—Simcoe,” said Wesley-Esquimaux, a member of the Chippewa of Georgina Island First Nation and an educator. “This campaign will be about choosing between two visions for Canada. I believe we need to choose forward and ensure we invest in the needs of our people and that we fight the climate crisis. Here in a riding like York—Simcoe, we know the critical importance of protecting our beautiful natural environment,” she said.
“I do believe the most important message is ‘we are better when we work together,” Coteau said about the Liberal campaign.
“I do know that there’s a massive push to look for ways to help our environment and keep the province clean and beautiful, I know Cynthia and I share a lot of the same values when it comes to the environment.”
Both Coteau and Wesley-Esquimaux are dedicated to protecting Lake Simcoe and The GreenBelt.
Coteau says together, The Liberals will be putting forward strategies to mitigate C02. He noted that “the Conservatives in Ontario have failed to do that and Conservatives federally have missed the mark on this issue.”
“We put in place strong environmental initiatives, healthcare initiatives, infrastructure plans and to me that’s exactly what we are fighting for,” he said.
Wesley-Esquimax says this campaign is essential and that the Liberal Party is addressing critical concerns across Canada.
"I am honoured to be the candidate for the York-Simcoe riding. I am especially interested in the Indigenous files and what Minister Bennett has been accomplishing across the country, but the issues around environment, a need for affordable housing strategies, child welfare reform are very important to me as well," she said.
She noted the issues surrounding affordable housing and property tax increases in the area.
"The riding is becoming a destination for urban people which is driving up the real estate market, all good, but this means people who have lived here all their lives are being pushed by property tax increases and transportation concerns, some of which are shared with provincial interests, but we all need to pay attention, monies for many things are allocated from the federal treasury, we have to address the key issues for people in York-Simcoe, we all need to listen very carefully and be fully responsive. People matter, and their issues must be our issues if we are to have an effective and responsive government."
Both Coteau and Wesley-Esquimaux will be hosting a fundraiser on Oct. 6 at The Club at Bond Head.
To learn more about her campaign, follow her campaign Facebook page here.
