Provincial NDP leader Marit Stiles made a campaign stop in London Tuesday, the second in as many days. With Doug Ford’s Progressive Conservatives way out in front in the polls, Stiles is trying to hold on to support for New Democrat incumbents in three of four London ridings.
Only Elgin Middlesex London is Tory blue, while London West, London North Centre, and London Fanshawe have been NDP orange for two terms.
Stiles said she is not worried that London voters could get tired of having only one member in the governing party at Queens Park.
“I don’t feel that at all here. But we never, we never take anything for granted. But that’s the thing about the NDP, right? We’re not asking you to settle for anything. We will earn every single vote by working so hard and fighting for our communities,” Stiles exclaimed.
Fanshawe College Communications and Politics professor Glen Morgan said the local riding most vulnerable is London North Centre, where New Democrat Terence Kernaghan finds himself up against city councillor Jerry Pribil.
“We’ve also had a tradition in that area of people making that jump from either municipal to provincial or municipal to federal politics. So, this could really come down to a race. The other thing to look at is whether the NDP-Liberal vote splits well enough to let Jerry kind of run up the middle and take it for the Conservatives,” explained Morgan.
Also running in London North Centre is Tariq Khan for the Liberals and Carol Dyck for the Green party.
London misses out on opportunities by having only one seat in the governing party. That’s according to a former federal MP living and working in London.
Mike Wallace served as MP for the city of Burlington in Stephen Harper’s former Conservative government. He now lobbies for the development community in London, as executive director of the London Development Institute.
“The province has a significant impact on the money and the development that can happen in London. Not just in the housing market, but in all kinds of areas. I was on the government side. I know for a fact that it helps to have voices at the table speaking on behalf of your community, with the government,” said Wallace.
About one dozen people attended Stiles’s campaign stop at Victoria Park Tuesday, including voter and local businessperson Hasan Savehilaghi.
He was on hand to show support for London West incumbent, New Democrat Peggy Sattler. He said it’s the person, not the party that matters.
“So, what you’re asking, yeah it can be definitely a factor. But generally, integrity of those political parties is what I personally have issues with,” he said.
