Green's Aislinn Clancy wins in Kitchener Centre
Aislinn Clancy is only the 2nd Green MPP in Ontario
Green candidate Aislinn Clancy says she felt a rush of emotion after learning she won again in Kitchener Centre.
With all 61 polls reporting:
- Clancy had 21,200 votes.
- PC's Rob Elliott had 9,991 votes.
- Liberal's Colleen James had 5,882 votes.
- NDP's Brooklin Wallis had 2,821 votes.
- New Blue Party's Paul Simoes had 805 votes.
- Ontario Party's Sebastian Butnar-Stoica had 398 votes.
- Independent Christopher Nuhn had 153 votes.
Clancy will retain her seat. She previously won the byelection in November 2023.
She spoke at a victory party in Kitchener on Thursday night, visibly tearing up.
"It's overwhelming ... it's a real rush of emotion," she told CBC News.
Clancy said the Green Party of Ontario isn't "grabbing for power."
"People see that we're in this because we really care and we're not in it for a quick headline or short term," she explained. "And we really want to be an independent voice. We want to do politics differently and that takes time to recognize the difference."
Over in Guelph, Ontario Green Party Leader Mike Schreiner used Clancy's win as proof that the party is building momentum.
"I am so excited to see Aislinn Clancy win in a landslide and to show that Greens are here to stay at Queen's Park," he said.
"Anyone who thought Aislinn Clancy's byelection win in 2023 was a fluke was wrong and we proved them wrong tonight."
Riding history
The riding has existed since 1999 and was created from the ridings of Kitchener and Kitchener-Wilmot.
The first Member of Provincial Parliament to serve the riding was Progressive Conservative Wayne Wettlaufer, who held the seat in Kitchener from 1995 to 1999, then Kitchener Centre from 1999 to 2003.
In 2003, Wettlaufer lost his bid for re-election to Liberal John Milloy. Milloy served as the riding's MPP, and served in several cabinet positions, until 2014, when he did not seek re-election. In 2014, TV broadcaster Daiene Vernile ran for the Liberals and won.
The NDP's Laura Mae Lindo defeated Vernile in 2018 and served until July 2023, when she stepped down from the role.
A byelection was held in November 2023, which was won by Green candidate Aislinn Clancy.