Toronto city councillor seeks PC nomination for 2018 election
CBC News | Posted: December 8, 2017 12:11 AM | Last Updated: December 8, 2017
Councillor and Deputy Mayor of Toronto, Denzil Minnan-Wong, hopes to make the leap to provincial politics
Longtime Toronto city councillor, Denzil Minnan-Wong, announced this afternoon at city hall he will be seeking a nomination for the Ontario PC Party for next year's provincial election.
Coun. Minnan-Wong, considered to be fiscally conservative, is currently the councillor for Ward 34 Don Valley East and serves as Deputy Mayor. He has served on council since 1997.
Coun. Minnan-Wong praised Ontario PC Party leader Patrick Brown's platform and says he agrees with Brown's policies and ideas for Ontario.
"I've been a progressive conservative since 1975. I've been a fiscal conservative running on the platform of keeping taxes down during my entire career on council. I can tell you taxes are high and people need relief and that's why Patrick's the fit for me."
I can tell you taxes are high and people need relief and that's why Patrick's the fit for me.
- Coun. Denzil Minnan-Wong
He also supports Brown's agenda and approach to support transit operations in Toronto.
"He's offering an urban agenda — $5 billion dollars for transit, plus he's taking off capital costs on all our subway lines.That's going to make a big difference here in the city of Toronto and I think we're going to win a lot of seats here in the city of Toronto."
Coun. Minnan-Wong says Premier Kathleen Wynne's government has been a disappointment to people in his riding and across Ontario, citing the government's handling of issues with Ornge and e-health as examples. He says Wynne and that her government are "past its best before date."
"The rock's set in. I think people are looking for a change."
He will be seeking the nomination in the riding of Don Valley East.
Ontario's provincial election will take place in June 2018.