France Gélinas said she takes nothing for granted and that's why she was out on the campaign trail this past week despite the freezing cold and blustery winds.
The veteran Nickel Belt incumbent candidate has represented the New Democratic Party since 2007, winning successive elections in 2011, 2014, 2018 and 2022.
According to Elections Ontario, Gélinas took 62.6 per cent of the vote in Nickel Belt in 2014 and 63.5 per cent of the vote in 2018; numbers so high they're unheard of in many ridings.
So far in the Nickel Belt riding Gélinas will be running against at least two confirmed candidates; Randy Hazlett for the Progressive Conservative party and Natalie Labbée representing the Ontario Liberal party.
On local doorsteps, Gélinas said she is hearing supportive comments from voters toward her campaign, but said she is still campaigning hard.
"The support out there is pretty strong. It feels good. I don't take anything for granted. We will work till the last minute. But yeah, so far, so good," she said.
Gélinas said she is also meeting voters who question the premier's decision to call a snap election and spend anywhere from $170 million to $180 million in the process. She said many voters did not regard an election call as a provincial priority.
"There's a lot of angry people out there and I can't say that I blame them," said Gélinas.
"As a politician, it's a whole lot easier to deal with happy people than it is to deal with angry people. They're not angry at me — they're just angry that the Ford government decided to call an election and spend all that money when waiting a year and a bit, would have done just fine.”
Gélinas said a key issue for her in the door-to-door campaigning is speaking about the need to improve health care. She said most people she has met agree with her and respond accordingly.
"I really focus on health care in Nickel Belt. Tens of thousands of people, up to 30,000 people don't have a primary care physician or a nurse practitioner," she said, adding that health concerns are almost universal among voters.
"I hear the same stories of long, long wait times so that I would say that's the message that I bring to them; that it doesn't have to be that way, that Medicare is a program that defines us, and we need to do better."
Gélinas said she is also hearing concerns about federal tariffs and whether there will be a trade war with the U.S. She said that quickly translates into concerns about the cost of living, rising food costs and the cost of housing.
She added that unlike a warm weather election campaign, such as those held in May or June, there are challenges to campaigning in the winter, especially when there are 33 small communities to visit; places such as Foleyet, Gogama and Benny.
Gélinas said Elections Ontario might be faced with the added challenge of finding a suitable voting venue on election day Feb. 27 in some communities, since most arenas are already booked.
She added she is encouraging voters to take advantage of advance polling options (Feb.20 to Feb.22) in case some bad winter weather happens on Feb. 27.
She said many constituents are pleased to say they have never missed the chance to vote, but with a winter election, Gélinas said she understands if people decide to put their safety first.
Len Gillis is a reporter at Sudbury.com.