Glengarry-Prescott-Russell candidates have been out in the snow and cold, placing signs and door-knocking throughout the riding in preparation for the scheduled Ontario Election taking place on February 27. Residents have the opportunity to elect their next Member of Provincial Parliament (MPP), who will represent the diverse communities in Eastern Ontario at Queen’s Park.

Liberal candidate Trevor Stewart stated that he was born and raised in Hammond and entered politics around the age of 16, primarily through Franco-Ontarian activism. He became more engaged in 2018 when the Ford government cut into Francophone Affairs, seeing it as an attack on the language, culture, and heritage of fellow Franco-Ontarians.

After winning a city councillor position in Clarence-Rockland in 2022, Stewart decided to “step up and make a bigger difference for my community,” snagging the liberal candidacy for his riding.

“We’re fighting an election in February that we don’t really need, though, I see this as an opportunity to get our fair share here in Eastern Ontario,” he said.

Stewart explained that the residents of Glengarry-Prescott-Russell are consistently beholden to the demands of Toronto and much of southwestern Ontario and that the riding needs a louder voice to represent its constituents.

“I’m a young candidate, and I have the passion and experience necessary for provincial government. Fundamentally, the role of an MPP is to represent those in your riding. If you think it’s right for your community, you fight for that,” he continued.

Stewart stated that the number of horror stories he’s heard while knocking on doors is another driving factor behind his campaign, with many “people on doctor wait lists for three to five years. There are those waiting for specialist services, and others are putting off critical surgeries because they know they aren’t going to be able to get in to get it done.”

Stewart then emphasized that the healthcare crisis, especially in Eastern Ontario, is at no fault of the medical workers, who he stated, “are doing God’s work. We have medical data that was leaked to us from the Ministry of Health, and it showed that about one out of three in Glengarry-Prescott-Russell either don’t have a doctor or are at imminent risk of losing one.”

The candidate suggested that the healthcare crisis should be treated exactly like one and that urgent changes are required to bounce back. Stewart included reversing the 2018 cuts to autism services, incentivizing doctors close to retirement to stay a bit longer or have viable succession plans, and lastly, transforming the healthcare system in the province with the inclusion of a uniform and modern user-based portal to streamline services as priority items. The portal would act as a one-stop shop for individual medical needs, referrals, and other relevant information.

“We had, not that long ago, two doctors leave their practice in Casselman, without a succession plan in place. Now, approximately 800 individuals in the area are left without a family doctor.”

Stewart additionally wants to tackle the affordability crisis head-on because “some younger individuals cannot even afford to live in the communities where they grew up because of the ongoing housing crisis. This is personal; it’s about me, my friends, and my family members. People are working their butts off and can’t get ahead. This also includes those on ODSP—we will double this amount to ensure that vulnerable people can afford to live.”

To help small businesses and new entrepreneurs, Stewart said his government will cut the small business tax rate in half, further promote agri-tourism in the region, and “promote an Eastern Ontario approach to small business.”

He said that this includes being available to have an open dialogue with local business owners about their specific needs and how the province can encourage more local business growth.

“I want to encourage individuals in the riding, and across the province, to go out to vote on the 27th. It’s going to be miserable and cold, but we need to ensure that people are going out to have their voices heard. I want people to vote for something: for progress, for healthcare, for education, and for promoting the Francophonie,” Stewart concluded.