New territory
For LaSalle town councillor Crystal Meloche stepping up to run for a provincial seat at Queens Park was a whole different experience for her than a municipal campaign.
The 34-year-old real estate agent said she learned a lot in her initial run at attempting to become an MPP for the riding of Essex as a Liberal party candidate.
The sheer size of the riding made a vastly different experience than her initial election campaign four years ago when she entered politics and captured a seat on town council in her first attempt.
“It was struggle because I’m on town council and have my job in real estate,” she said late Thursday afternoon.
“The riding was huge so it was difficult to get to every different area in such a short period of time. It didn’t go exactly as I wanted.”
Meloche guessed she was able to visit about 50 per cent of the neighbourhoods in the riding.
“I learned a lot from this experience,” she said. “I learned a lot on what I might do different next time should I run again.”
She cited as an example how many homeowners appear to not want to be troubled by phone calls, but instead appreciate learning more about MPP candidates at events, through interviews and newspaper articles.
“It seems that’s how they want to learn about you rather than by phone,” Meloche said.
Family support
Her son was expected to retain the riding of Essex for the New Democrats, but Sheila Natyshak wasn’t about to make any predictions Thursday as she waited for the polls to close.
“It’s very exciting, I’m anxious for the results,” said Sheila, whose son Taras is the incumbent candidate. “It’s been a long-short campaign,” she laughed.
When asked to make a prediction, she replied, “Never. I wait until the last poll is counted.”
Natyshak was among the early arrivals at her son’s victory party at the National Transportation Museum and Heritage Village in Essex. Sitting next to her was Rose Claire Hayes, wife of late Pat Hayes, who is considered a local political legend. Pat was a long-time mayor of Lakeshore.
He also ran successfully for the New Democrats in the 1985 Ontario election. Hayes also managed Natyshak’s federal campaigns in the 2006 and 2008 elections.
Team work
Leamington Mayor John Paterson had no preference about who should win the election in Chatham-Kent-Essex, but he had one wish – let the winner be from the governing party.
“I’ll work with whoever is there,” Paterson said in an interview before the polls closed. But when asked if he’d prefer a MPP who isn’t in opposition, Paterson said, “That’s an easy yes.”
Leamington has had its share of pain of late with the impending closure of H.J. Heinz. Part of the plant will stay open under new ownership thanks to talks that included Tory MPP Rick Nicholls, and neighbouring MPPs Taras Natyshak of the NDP and Teresa Piruzza of the Liberals. “They all were at the table,” said Paterson. “It wasn’t just a Leamington issue. It affected all of Essex County and Kent County, too.”
While Paterson said “it certainly helps” a mayor to have an MPP as a member of government, opposition MPPs can help too.
His own dad, Donald Alexander Paterson, was a Liberal MPP for the old riding of Essex South from 1963 to 1975. He served as an opposition member under the Tory governments of John Robarts and Bill Davis.
“Things may have changed, but in those days, he still managed to get a lot done.”
Job done
Windsor-Tecumseh Green Party candidate Adam Wright admitted he was remarkably nerve free Thursday waiting on the voters’ verdict.
“What I set out to do, I think I’ve done already,” said Wright, who ran for the party in last summer’s by-election in the riding. “It’s a matter of seeing it reflected in the numbers.”
Last summer he received 942 votes in finishing fourth behind the traditional big three parties.
However, Wright felt getting a chance at a re-run so quickly was an important opportunity to build the Greens’ message.
Let’s play two
You can’t blame Windsor-Tecumseh voters if they’ve had enough of lawn signs, candidates at their doors and pollsters phone calls.
It’s the second provincial election in just over 10 months in the riding. Voters went to the polls last Aug. 1 for a by-election to fill the seat vacated by former Liberal Finance Minister Dwight Duncan, who opted to retire.
“I did hear that at the door,” PC candidate Brandon Wright said. “There was some, we’re a little fatigued of elections or we’re having another one already.”
However, there won’t be any break for voters with municipal elections to be held this fall.
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