Ontario PC leader swings through Windsor — again
Brown says he can sense breakthrough coming for his party in Windsor West
Sniffing a possible election victory in the wind, Patrick Brown made his 10th visit to Windsor since being chosen two years ago as the leader of Ontario’s Progressive Conservatives.
“I intend to be here often before the (provincial) election,” Brown said Saturday before attending a meet-and-greet session at the Caboto Club with Windsor West PC candidate Adam Ibrahim at his side.
“I feel there’s opportunity for a breakthrough here.”
Windsor West voters have never elected a PC member to a seat in Queen’s Park.
“Right here in Windsor we’ve got a great chance to break through,” said Brown, referencing a summer byelection in Sault Ste. Marie where voters elected a Progressive Conservative for the first time since he was two years old.
“It’s time to try something new,” the now 39-year-old politician said.
About 100 people turned out to listen to Brown pump up Ibrahim and knock the “broken policies” of Ontario’s Liberal government.
He promised to tackle the issue of high hydro rates, government waste of tax dollars and aging infrastructure.
Since earning the riding ’s nomination, Ibrahim told the audience he has knocked on more than 4,000 doors.
“I hear of families struggling to pay their hydro bill,” Ibrahim said.
“They shouldn’t have to choose between their hydro bill and groceries.”
Brown blamed mismanagement by Premier Kathleen Wynne and the Liberals for the “hydro mess” adding “this madness on hydro can’t continue.”
He said escalating operating costs are driving good jobs out of Ontario and into Michigan and Ohio and fingered “reckless provincial policy” as the culprit.
Brown said a Conservative government would take a hard look at the Liberal energy contracts that have handcuffed what consumers pay for hydro.
He wants a value-for-money audit of every government ministry to ensure “that every dollar spent is transparent and effective.”
Brown told the audience Ontario’s credit rating is worse than Quebec’s and that it’s now considered a have-not province.
“We’ve got to get back on track,” he said.
Earlier in the day, Brown visited Nature Fresh in Leamington and later in the evening he was headed to a Filipino community banquet.
Sunday, Brown was entered to run the half marathon as part of the Detroit Free Press/Chemical Bank International Marathon.
“It’s really neat going through the tunnel and over the bridge,” said Brown, who raced two years ago. “And it’s like coming back home for me.”
Brown lived in Windsor for three years while attending law school at the University of Windsor.