Liberals and NDP in battle to challenge Ford, polls show
Horwath, Schreiner campaign remotely as both leaders test positive for COVID
Advance voting polls opened Thursday with two weeks to go in Ontario's election campaign, as the leaders of two parties went into isolation with COVID-19 infections.
NDP Leader Andrea Horwath said she tested positive on a rapid test on Thursday morning, the day after Green party leader Mike Schreiner revealed he also tested positive for the coronavirus. Both leaders said they would campaign remotely while isolating according to public health guidelines.
Horwath said in a statement she will have to make some adjustments to her campaign, but will “continue to connect with people however I can.”
“Andrea's greatest strength is meeting people and connecting with them where they're at,” her campaign team said. “She listens, she cares and it shows. We're really disappointed that we're going to lose that for a few days.”
Horwath cancelled a scheduled appearance in Sault Ste. Marie on Thursday, and will miss a campaign tour with scheduled stops in several other northern Ontario cities over the next several days.
While Horwath and Schreiner were confined to campaigning through computer screens and Zoom meetings, Liberal Leader Steven Del Duca was in Mississauga on Thursday. He held a campaign event at a gas station to blame Doug Ford and the PC Party for standing by as gas prices skyrocketed in Ontario.
If elected premier, Del Duca said he would reduce both the gas and fuel tax which would immediately drop the price we pay at the pumps.
“We know Ontarians are in the midst of the worst affordability crisis that they have faced in many years,” said Del Duca.
He noted that during the 2018 provincial election, Ford vowed to lower gas prices.
“And what have we seen? Gas is above ($2 per litre) now and has nearly doubled since Ford became premier,” he said.
Ford was in Niagara-on-the-lake, where he said a re-elected PC government would build a new Garden City Skyway bridge to reduce gridlock and also improve commute times.
“Building a new and expanded Garden City Skyway bridge will be a game changer for the people of St. Catharines and Niagara region, getting them where they need to go faster and without the hassle of sitting in traffic,” said Ford.
For voters who have already made up their minds, Elections Ontario information cards have started arriving in mailboxes with details about times and locations for advance polls. More information is available elections.on.ca.
Chief Electoral Officer Greg Essensa said Ontario now provides advance polls over 10 days, up from five.
“Ontario has the longest period for advance polls of any province in the country,” Essensa said.
Polls show the Liberals and NDP entering the last half of the campaign in a battle to emerge as the clear challenger to the Doug Ford Progressive Conservatives.
Del Duca, asked about a possible coalition between his party and
She listens, she cares and it shows. We're really disappointed that we're going to lose that for a few days.
NDP, said his fight is with Ford.
“I think we're now in a spot with 16 days to go where there is a very, very clear consensus that has developed around the fact that Ontario Liberals have momentum,” Del Duca said.