After more than six years in office as the Sudbury MPP, New Democrat incumbent candidate Jamie West is used to seeing political games at Queen's Park. He said he is not completely surprised that Premier Doug Ford called a snap election in the depth of winter at a time that is opportunistic for the premier, but doesn't make sense for anyone else.
"You know life is busy for people, and I think a lot of people simply don't understand why we're having an election, why we're spending $170 million to $190 million on an election for a premier that already had a majority government, who already had the promise of all the parties that we work together and focus on tariffs," said West.
"It makes no sense to me. You know, we should be at Queen's Park working on what we're going to do with these tariffs, and not wandering around in our communities for a month talking to the voters who want us to be working right now," West added.
West said Ford knows it is tough to run a winter campaign and is also taking advantage of the fact that the opposition New Democrats and the Liberals both have newer leaders and level of awareness for the voters won't be as high as it could be.
The waste of money is another issue for West.
"You know, when you think of that price tag, $170 million for an election a year-and-a-half early, well we need doctors. A hundred and seventy million dollars could have gotten a lot of doctors. We need childcare spots so that, you know, working families can get back to work, and affordable child care, that would provide a lot for that. We need affordable rent."
West said Ontario should go back to building the smaller post-war houses that were popular in the 1950s and 1960s. They were smaller and affordable for first time buyers.
"That's what we should be focusing on," said West.
The New Democrat is seeking his third term as MPP for Sudbury. West was first elected in June of 2018 and then again in June of 2022. His background included health and safety representation while working in smelter operations at Vale. West also served as president of the Sudbury and District Labour Council and was also a sessional professor at Laurentian University, teaching health and safety to 2nd and 3rd year students.
Since October West has been the official opposition critic for mining in the Legislature. Before that West was the labour critic.
That background gives West more sensitivity to the concerns of everyday working people. West said the campaign has shown that working people are frustrated with the realities of life in Ontario.
""And I think people are frustrated when you're having a hard time putting food on the table, and you see a premier who spends like a drunken soldier," said West. He said times are especially tough on younger adults.
"It's heartbreaking to be honest. When I was in my 20s, I had, you know, I lived on my own, had my own apartment. My parents lived in town, but I could move out. I basically had a part time job while I was going to school and could cover my rent and put food on the table for myself," said West.
He said it is not that easy anymore.
"People today, they can't move out unless they have a couple of roommates. They basically need a full time job to pay the bills while they're going to school as full time students."
One other campaign issue West runs into is the idea of being an MPP in opposition. He said it is a myth that only members of government parties get the goodies for their ridings, or have "a seat at the table". West said the government is obligated and still spends money on things like infrastructure. He mentioned the $34.9 million announced for the water / wastewater facility in Lively last fall.
West said Sudbury will also share in the $529 million plan to open Homelessness and Addiction Recovery Treatment (HART) Hubs across Ontario. It was announced two weeks ago.
North Bay and Timmins, two cities represented by Conservative cabinet ministers, were not included in that announcement.
West adds that health improvements particularly often come through from intense lobbying and advocating, usually from groups that are non-partisan.
West said regardless of the party, and areas that are represented, the premier needs to recognize the plight of people with addictions not just in Sudbury but all across the North and throughout the province.
In a passing reference to Rob Ford, the premier's late brother, West said the premier knows better than most how difficult it can be for people who have a family member struggling with addiction. Rob Ford was the former mayor of Toronto who had an alcohol and substance abuse addiction. He died of cancer in 2016.
"No offense to his family but he (Premier Ford) knows how hard it is to live with addictions, how much support is needed. We really need to support these people in every part of this province, instead of picking and choosing and pitting communities against each other," said West.
Len Gillis is a reporter for Sudbury.com .