PC beats Milczyn, ending tight race

Christine Hogarth unseated Peter Milczyn after a close three- way race, turning Etobicoke- Lakeshore from Liberal red to PC blue.

“Well, that was a nail- biter, but w we did it, everyone,” said Hogarth, in her victory speech Thursday at The Crooked Cue, an Etobicoke pool hall and bar.

With all 72 polls reporting, Hogarth had secured 38 per cent of the vote, ahead of both the NDP’s Phil Trotter ( 33 per cent) and Liberal incumbent Milczyn ( 24 per cent).

“Today, we all helped send a very clear message to Queen’s Park. That message is that we are aa ready,” a blue- clad Hogarth told her cheering supporters. “We are ready for Ontario to be open for business, for economic growth, for good jobs … for a government that is going to use our tax dollars wisely.”

Before running for public office, Hogarth served as executive assistant to Etobicoke Centre Coun. John Campbell, who was ww on hand at her victory par- ty, tt as well as chief of staff for f former Sudbury mayor Mari- anne aa Matichuk, and as the On- tario PC Party’s first female executive director.

Hogarth was among several Progressive Conservative candidates criticized during the campaign for declining invitations to local all- candidates’ debates.

Running as the “local” candidate, the Mimico- born- andraised Liberal incumbent Milczyn, zz the current housing min- ister, tweeted his achievements during his lone term at Queen’s Park hours after the polls opened. “Over the last four years, yy I delivered on the prom- ises I made: 1. Abolished the OMB. 2. Pushed the Parklawn GO to the next stage of design and aa engineering. 3. Advocated f for more affordable housing op- tions for Ontario — Introduced inclusionary zoning.”