Candidates optimistic about chances of winning federal byelection in York-Simcoe

Monday's byelection in the York-Simcoe riding will see the People's Party of Canada (PPC) and Conservatives squaring off in a Tory-held riding for the very first time.

Nine candidates are vying to replace Peter Van Loan as the new federal Member of Parliament for the riding and all eyes will be on the PPC to see how many votes they take away from the Conservatives, and whether it would be enough to tip the riding toward the Liberals or NDP.

Van Loan, a member of the Conservative Party, announced his retirement in September after 14 years as the representative of the riding — long considered a Tory stronghold.

Scot Davidson, the new Conservative Party candidate, said he's feeling confident.

"This is really a referendum on the Liberal government," said Davidson, a local entrepreneur from the town of Georgina.

The York-Simcoe riding was one of three federal byelections called by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Jan. 9.

Davidson has positioned himself as a businessman looking to apply his skills in helping industries grow, with a keen interest in supporting agriculture.

"Let's face it, this riding being so close to Toronto is a place where farmers themselves want to expand and look at even food processing. It's something that I can bring to the table and help facilitate," Davidson said. 

He says he's not worried about being new to politics but rather sees it as an asset, insisting that he has "young legs, I'm ready to run."

Liberal candidate Shaun Tanaka went head-to-head against Van Loan in the last federal election but fell short.

This time, the mother of two says she's back and has a better chance than ever.

"We increased the Liberal voter turnout by 400 per cent," she told CBC News, referring to the last federal election.

"When I asked the family whether I should take this on again because it's a big ask of the entire family, the boys said to me, 'You totally should, because this time you're going to win.'"

Tanaka said she isn't worried about the SNC Lavalin scandal currently plaguing the prime minister.

"I am really focused on York-Simcoe, because that's where I'm running. And I'm not hearing it at the doors," she said.  

"What I'm hearing at the doors [is] that it's hard to raise a family. I'm hearing at the doors that they are concerned about the health of Lake Simcoe," said Tanaka, adding that "I want to be that voice in Ottawa."

NDP candidate Jessa McLean says she's the voice of the working class.

"We have a lot of precariously employed people," she said. "Our job market is, either you're commuting [to the city] for a half decent paying job or you're staying here and earning very little."

She's a community organizer in the region and a champion of the "$15 and Fairness" campaign to push the minimum wage to $15 an hour.

"Our housing rates have gone up the most in terms of Ontario," she said.

"Rentals are up 56 per cent while our wages are only up 11 per cent."

People's Party of Canada debut

This byelection is also the PPC's debut at the polls, and an out-of-towner — ex-Toronto prosecutor Robert Geurts — is its candidate.

"The project right now is to get the word out. We are a national party," he said.

Ex-conservative MP Maxime Bernier founded the party after losing the federal Conservative leadership nod to Andrew Scheer.

"Scot Davidson has no plan really to change anything. He's going to stick to Mr. Scheer's plan," said Geurts, explaining their focus on courting millennial voters.

"That generation is so bright, and so exciting. [They] haven't been corrupted yet," he said.

"That's where I think Bernier has sort of said, 'Listen, our platform is unfinished because there's some really exciting things we can do if we don't burden ourselves with the old baggage of before."'  

Monday's byelection comes three months after municipal elections and six months before the federal election in October.

The Green Party's candidate in the York-Simcoe byelection is Matt Lund.