Sault Ste. Marie PC candidate promises 'seat at the table,' while NDP opponent says she knows 'the north'

Sault Ste. Marie is listed by many as one of the ridings to watch in this Ontario election, and candidates there made one of their final pitches during a debate held Tuesday night.

And it got pretty testy off the start, with Progressive Conservative candidate, Chris Scott, suggesting he was given the wrong start-time for the debate organized by the Algoma University Student Union, "in partnership with our NDP candidate and her spouse, who I think chairs the downtown association."

"I would have looked pretty stupid walking in 40 minutes from now," Scott said, saying he was lucky to see the correct time for the debate on social media.

New Democrat Lisa Vezeau-Allen later corrected him, saying her partner isn't the chair of the downtown association (which did help host the debate) and that she was not involved in planning the event. 

Scott is hoping to replace Sault Ste. Marie MPP, Ross Romano, who is stepping aside after seven years at Queen's Park. Scott is not from the Sault, but worked in Romano's ministerial office in Toronto, and more recently, in the premier's office.

"Doug Ford's going to be named premier of Ontario with a large majority government and a strong mandate," Scott told the crowd at the debate.

"I'm running to keep our seat at the decision making table, and to keep on building in Sault Ste. Marie. There's not a door I can't open at Queen's Park."

Vezeau-Allen trumpeted her long involvement with issues and organizations in Sault Ste. Marie, including the past six years on city council. 

"I am so ready. I've always worked really, really hard. I love this community. I'm part of this community," she said. 

"I understand what it's like to live in the north."

The Liberal banner is being carried by Gurwinder Dusanjh, who argued that under the current government, "northern Ontario has been neglected, not respected," and pledged to "put Sault Ste. Marie first, above the party, above the government."

Arnold Heino of the New Blue Party said he got involved in politics during COVID because of vaccine mandates put on health care workers, and said it's "time to bring the voice back to the people"

There were a range of different issues covered during the debate, including everything from the conflict in Gaza to youth out migration.

On affordability, Vezeau-Allen pushed the NDP platform plank to offer grocery rebates to families, which Scott dismissed as "care bears and lollipops."  He argued that the Conservatives are the only party taking the issue "seriously," by trying to keep more money in people's pockets.

On the opioid crisis, which has hit Sault Ste. Marie and other northern Ontario cities particularly hard, Scott said under a PC government "everybody who wants their life back" will get support, including through a new series of HART hubs, two of which have been announced for the Sault.

He said for those not seeking help, "we're building more jails" and appointing "like-minded judges."

Dusanjh said a Liberal government would "address the root causes" of the addiction crisis, while Vezeau-Allen said the NDP would expand youth mental health services and both parties would restore the safe drug consumption sites, shut down in recent years by the Ford government. 

On the question of U.S. tariffs, Vezeau-Allen promised an NDP government would quickly come up with a plan, including tax and energy bill breaks for key industries, while Scott said the PCs were the best choice to protect local jobs and small businesses.

But Dusanjh questioned Conservative leader Doug Ford's approach to the possible trade war.

"I've seen on TV that they're going to Washington, they're paid 85 thousand dollars US to meet with mid-level GOP representatives and then come back over here. His job was to be over here for us, not for his own job," he said. 

Also on the ballot in Sault Ste. Marie are Jaycob Jacques of the Green Party and Paul Frolich of the Ontario Party.