Randy Pettapiece has been elected for the third time in Wellington’s northern riding.
Results in Perth-Wellington mirrored the overall results in the June 7 election, though the Progressive Conservative incumbent received even stronger support (50.7 per cent) than his party overall under leader Doug Ford (40.6%).
As with the provincial results, it was clear very early on last Thursday evening that Pettapiece would emerge victorious.
Overall he secured 23,736 votes, handily defeating Michael O’Brien of the NDP party (14,385 votes, 30.1%), Liberal candidate Brendan Knight (5,062, 10.8%) and Lisa Olsen of the Green Party (2,746, 5.9%).
“We did it,” declared Pettapiece, freshly elected to a new term, this time as part of a majority Progressive Conservative government.
“People saw a need for change and they voted for it and people are ready for new leadership and I want to congratulate premier-elect (Doug) Ford for his victory.”
Speaking to a roomful of supporters at an election night celebration at the Listowel Golf and Country Club, he added, “Now the people will expect the new government to deliver, and no party is perfect, but all of us want the best for Ontario.
“We can have confidence in the PC team and I will work with them and the premier to ensure constituents of Perth-Wellington have that confidence. Change won’t happen overnight, but change will happen.”
Overall, the PC Party under leader Doug Ford secured a majority government, winning 76 seats with 40.6% of the popular vote.
The NDP and Andrea Horwath won 40 ridings (33.7% support), while the Liberals had a disastrous showing, winning just seven seats (19.3% support) and losing official party status.
The Green Party had a historic night, electing leader Mike Schreiner in Guelph as the party’s first ever representative in the legislature. Overall the party received 4.6% of the popular vote.
The local June 7 results mark an increase in support for Pettapiece over the 2014 election, during which he garnered 39% support.
After spending two terms in opposition, the MPP said he is ready to work with the new premier on issues that are important to riding residents, citing “the rising cost of living, fixing hydro, health care and long-term care and integrity in government.”
In his remarks, Pettapiece thanked his campaign team for their efforts, as well as his wife Jane and their children for their support and voters for their trust.
“I’m certainly grateful to the voters for putting their trust in me,” he stated.
“Trust doesn’t come from just one election campaign, it comes from helping people, one constituent at a time, one day at a time. It’s hard-earned, but easily lost.”
He vowed to “work for the people of Perth-Wellington, not a party, or a government,” and to continue serving as an MPP “for everyone.”
In an interview, Pettapiece said putting his private member’s bill to protect firefighters – The Rea and Walter Act – back on the legislative agenda will be a priority for him. The bill was stalled when the Liberal government prorogued the legislature ahead of the election.
The act, which would require identification of buildings containing truss-and-lightweight construction materials is named in honour of North Perth Fire Service members Ken Rea and Ray Walter, who died battling a fire in March 2011 when the roof of the Listowel Dollar Stop collapsed.
“I want to move forward with that and I want to get it passed. I have support all over Ontario for that bill and I want to get it done,” the MPP stated.
While much of the 2018 election centred on scandal and personal attacks at the provincial level, Pettapiece said he was pleased the campaign was more civil locally.
“In this riding when we were doing the debates, none of the candidates went after each other personally and I appreciated that,” said Pettapiece.
“We don’t do that out here. We keep it to the topic of the day, which is we attack each other’s politics, ideas, but we leave personal attacks out of it. I don’t agree with that type of thing. I’ve never agreed with it. I was disappointed it got as far as it did, but that’s not what we do in Perth-Wellington.”
Asked what role he hopes to play in the new government, Pettapiece responded, “Whatever my leader asks me to do.”
NDP candidate Michael O’Brien said his party made progress both provincially and in Perth-Wellington.
“Obviously we’re disappointed that we didn’t win. But this was exciting, nerve-wracking,” he said, noting many people he met while canvasing “seemed to be coming over to our side, especially in the last few weeks.”
He pointed out, “We actually exceeded in this election what we got in 2011 and 2014 combined, so things were looking up for us.”
While the Liberals’ voter support dropped substantially from the last election, O’Brien suggested, “I think probably the Liberal vote kind of split between us and the Conservatives.”
Despite the evident NDP surge, O’Brien said the final results represent traditional voting patterns.
“The Conservatives always have a solid 30 per cent backing and a number of Liberals can’t see the NDP coming into power, so they voted for the Conservatives. Others voted for us and for the Green (party). I think that Ontario is a naturally conservative province anyway, so they are concerned about the debt and deficit, finances. I can’t argue that isn’t a serious issue, so I think that’s what happened,” O’Brien stated.
“I think we had a good platform and I think that over time, even though we’re going to increase the deficit initially, it would have led to efficiencies in the long run, but obviously we won’t get a chance to demonstrate that now.”
O’Brien said the NDP’s new status as official opposition will provide an opportunity to enhance the party’s profile.
O’Brien suggested if the Conservatives follow through on their pledge “to end hallway medicine” while managing to decrease long-term bed shortages and improve home care, “I think there can be big efficiencies in hospitals.”
However he was less optimistic about the Ford government’s plans for hydro reform.
“He wants to return the dividends from Hydro One to the taxpayers. I think there’s $840 million worth of dividends coming to the province. If there’s 40 million Ontarians. That’s $60 each. I just went to the dentist. My bill for just cleaning and examination was $196, so it’s not going to do very much for the average person.”
O’Brien said he feels some level of hydro subsidization is inevitable.
“(Former Ontario Premier) James Whitney, in 1906, brought hydro into government control because even those days privatized hydro was too expensive for companies, and even individuals, to afford.”
Liberal candidate Brendan Knight thanked supporters in an interview with the Advertiser following the election.
“I’m really thankful and humbled for all the support that was given and I really appreciate everyone that worked and volunteered for me, that said that they would vote for me, that liked the campaign that we ran,” he said.
He said the last few weeks have been a positive experience for him.
“I met a lot of great people that at the door and at debates that had a lot of great questions and concerns and I’ve very proud of the effort of volunteers, and teams had put forward,” he said
The Liberals lost 48 seats in the election, obviously a disappointing result.
“I think the premier (Kathleen Wynne) was quite honest and forthright a week ago, saying it was not going to be the result that we hoped for,” he said.
“I think every party would like more seats, but we knew that it was an interesting election.”
Knight added he is concerned about what a PC majority will bring and is motivated to keep the government accountable.
Olsen said she was encouraged by the Green Party’s results, including the election of Schreiner in Guelph.
“I think it’s absolutely wonderful; I’ve seen, just in the debates, I’ve seen how much one Green voice can do,” she said.
As for the PC majority, Olsen said, “Obviously it’s not what we were hoping for, not what I was hoping for, but I mean, we just have to move on and just grow for the next election.”
Olsen also offered congratulations to Pettapiece for his victory and thanked the other candidates for having civil debates.
“I also appreciate that we are all working towards the same goal of making Ontario better, even if our ideas of how to initiate that are different,” she said.
Rounding out the crowded Perth-Wellington field, and receiving less than 1% support, were Libertarian candidate Scott Marshall (380 votes), Paul McKendrick of the Consensus Party (320), Freedom Party candidate Rob Smeenk (125) and Andrew Stanton of the Alliance Party (89).
Voter turnout in Perth-Wellington was 62.1%, surpassing the results in 2014 (55.7%), 2011 (51.9%) and 2007 (54.6%).
