Incumbent Hatfield keeps riding NDP orange
The blue wave that swept Ontario did not change the colour in Windsor-Tecumseh.
NDP candidate Percy Hatfield easily won re-election with more than 58 per cent of the vote in the riding he has held since 2013 — though the party mood was dampened somewhat given Andrea Horwath’s NDP did not triumph in Ontario over Conservative Leader Doug Ford.
“It was a fantastic evening for our region,” Hatfield said moments after arriving to a hero’s welcome at his victory party at the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 255 on Wyandotte St. E.
“But I’m a little disappointed with the provincial results. I don’t know what lies ahead with a Ford majority — but we’ll do our best down here to make sure he doesn’t forget about this part of the province.”
Hatfield called Horwath the best of all the party leaders, and said she is welcome to stay around as long as she wants. The NDP, after all, climbed from third to second place.
“We’re going into the Opposition now and that gives us a lot more resources, so we’re looking forward to that,” he said. “It’s a step up.” Conservative candidate Mohammad Latif, who finished second with more than 27 per cent of the vote behind Hatfield, also felt encouraged by the results.
“I’m feeling great,” he said. “It’s the first time a PC candidate has got so many votes in Windsor-Tecumseh. And, anyway, my party is going to govern the province.
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Liberal candidate Remy Boulbol, who finished third in Windsor-Tecumseh with about eight per cent of the vote, said ousting the Liberals after 15 years in power was likely the result of a few reasons. “One, people wanted change,” Boulbol said. “Two, they were frustrated with the premier (Kathleen Wynne). And three, people are very polarized right now.” Still, Boulbol said she was happy with her campaign and will keep trying to better the community. “It’s not a good day for the Liberals,” she said. “But the Liberals aren’t going anywhere and I’m not going anywhere. I’m going to continue fighting for Windsor-Tecumseh and Windsor as a whole.”
Windsor-Tecumseh Green party candidate Henry Oulevey said his party made great inroads in Ontario — especially given the province elected its first Green representative. Green party Leader Mike Schreiner won in Guelph. “It’s a success that our leader was elected,” said Oulevey, who won more than four per cent of the vote. “The campaign went well. It was nice to see the Green party getting more media attention. The Green party definitely raised its profile.” Independent Windsor-Tecumseh candidate Laura Chesnik, running in her fifth election but first provincially, feels more opinions should be considered in politics. “The biggest issue is that people are blocked from having power,” said the elementary school teacher who feels party politics limit what people can say. “That’s why I ran as an independent, because I believe people should have a voice.” A former city councillor and CBC journalist, Hatfield is the NDP’s critic for housing and municipal affairs. He first won the riding of Windsor-Tecumseh in 2013 in a byelection after Liberal Dwight Duncan retired from the seat he had held since 1999, before which it was called Windsor-St. Clair. The riding that encompasses various socio-economic neighbourhoods has about 85,000 voters.
Hatfield beat Conservative candidate Robert de Verteuil by 10,544 votes in 2013, and Liberal candidate Jason Dupuis by 17,221 votes in 2014.