With the London West riding among three byelections expected to be held this summer, the city has become a focal point for the province’s political leaders.
NDP Leader Andrea Horwath was in town on Monday, making five separate stops. And residents can expect to see a lot more of her, and all of the party leaders
Meanwhile the Progressive Conservatives are investing heavily in other ways trying to get your vote.
The party’s new attack ads against the Liberals will run during the Stanley Cup finals, one of the most expensive commercial spots in Canada.
The ads also seem to target the NDP, with the party’s signature orange played up in the ad.
Horwath reacted to the PC ad while touring London on Monday saying “I would hope that the debate would be a little higher than that, but having said that, they make the choices they make.”
A general election could be months or years away, but byelections in three ridings are expected this summer because they must be announced within six months of a seat becoming vacant.
Former finance minister and Windsor-Tecumseh MPP Dwight Duncan as well as former energy minister and London West MPP Chris Bentley resigned in February, which means the race for those seats must start by mid-August.
Former premier Dalton McGuinty’s Ottawa South riding is also in need of new representation.
So, all three parties are expected to target the ridings as the byelection dates approach.
Horwath says she expects to return to the city soon, and often, “I’ve been no stranger to London, nor have I been a stranger to Windsor.”
PC Leader Tim Hudak was in the city last week, and Premier Kathleen Wynne has already made several stops in the Forest City since taking the reins.
Both the NDP and PCs have announced candidates for the London West riding, but the Liberal Party has yet to do so.
A byelection won’t be called if a general election is imminent, but with fixed election dates in the province and the legislature already on summer recess, it’s highly unlikely one could be triggered before the fall session.
Watch the newest ad from the Ontario Progressive Conservative Party here:
