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New Tecumseth–Gwillimbury candidates respond to questions ahead of snap federal election
April 17, 2025 · 0 Comments
By Brian Lockhart
With a hastily called federal election less than three weeks away, the New Tecumseth Times reached out to local candidates with a series of questions about what they would like to accomplish if elected. Candidates were also asked why residents of the New Tecumseth–Gwillimbury riding should vote for them and what issues are most pressing.
These are the candidates’ responses.
Scot Davidson – Conservative Party of Canada
Q: As this election was called rather quickly, what issues do you believe are the most pressing in the short term for the next government?
After the lost Liberal decade, Canadians cannot afford a fourth term of Liberals inflating housing and food costs, unleashing crime, ruining immigration, hiking taxes, blocking resource jobs and making our economy weak and reliant on the U.S.
Conservatives will axe taxes, build homes, cut waste, lock up criminals, secure our borders and unleash our resources to bring home our jobs and stand up to Trump from a position of strength.
Q: What are the most important long-term goals of the next government over the next four years?
Every single day, I hear from residents of New Tecumseth-Gwillimbury who tell me, “I don’t recognize my country anymore. I worry about the future for my kids and grandkids.”
After 10 years, we need a strong new Conservative government that will restore the Canadian promise that the Liberals broke. By putting Canada first for a change, we will axe taxes, reward work, unleash entrepreneurs, harvest our resources, make things here, build homes for our youth, secure our borders, rebuild our military, honour our history and proudly raise our flag.
Q: What will your party do to counter or work with, possible US tariffs in the near future?
After 10 years of weak leadership under the Liberals, we need to become stronger, more self-reliant, and re-assert our sovereignty, so that we can stand on our own two feet and stand up to the Americans. Canada First Conservatives will retaliate to American tariffs by targeting specific American goods. We will also launch a ‘Keep Canadians Working Fund’ to help Canadian workers directly affected by Donald Trump’s unjustified attacks on their livelihoods. We will take drastic action to build an economic fortress in Canada so we can expand our trade within Canada and around the world.
Q: A housing shortage continues to plague the country – notably in Ontario. What realistic goals do you have to address this, including reducing the number of immigrants to an area with no housing?
The Carney-Trudeau Liberals have doubled rent, doubled mortgage payments and doubled the cost of a down payment in the past 10 years. Conservatives will axe the sales tax on new homes, saving families up to $65,000 on the purchase of a home and $3,000 on yearly mortgage payments while spurring a massive new homebuilding boom.
We will also sell off 6,000 federal buildings and thousands of acres of federal land to build new homes; incentivize municipalities to speed up permits, free up land, and cut housing taxes so homes can be built faster; and support the training of 350,000 new positions in the trades.
We will cap immigration, and stop the radical Liberal initiative that would balloon Canada’s population to 100 million people, more than doubling the population of our towns during a housing crisis. We will keep out and deport criminals, stop fraud and crack down on bogus refugee claims. On housing and immigration, and everything else, we will put Canada First for a change.
Q: Many Canadians are worried about U.S. President Trump’s call for making Canada their 51st state. Whether real or not, what would your party do to stop this type of threat?
Canada will never be a U.S. state. Now is the time to take back control and relaunch our economy so that we can confront President Trump’s unjustified threats and tariffs in a position of strength.
Canada First Conservatives will stand up to the Americans by turning our country into an economic powerhouse. This will be done by repealing the Liberal anti-pipeline law, expanding our natural resource production, removing the barriers between our provinces so that we can trade with ourselves, and passing a Bring It Home Tax Cut on work, investment, home building and energy. We will do this for our people, for our land, for our home.
Q: What do you, as a candidate, offer the citizens of New Tecumseth-Gwillimbury as a choice for their elected representative?
I am a former small business owner who has served as a Member of Parliament in the Official Opposition since 2019, fighting against Liberal policies that have seen costs and crime go up and our economy go down under America’s thumb. I will continue to be a strong, effective voice for New Tecumseth-Gwillimbury residents, and stand up for our communities in the House of Commons, whether it be on rural issues, the needs of our farmers, and the concerns of workers, seniors, and families who call Bradford West Gwillimbury, New Tecumseth, and East Gwillimbury home. As the MP for New Tecumseth-Gwillimbury, I want to restore the promise of Canada, axe taxes and lower the cost of living to put Canada First — for a change.
Paul Montague – People’s Party of Canada
Q: As this election was called rather quickly, what issues do you believe are the most pressing in the short term?
The biggest concerns to be addressed in the short term are housing and the economy.
Q: What are the most important long-term goals of the next government over the next four years?
Reducing inflation, stimulating economic growth, more jobs with living wages and housing and infrastructure.
Q: What will your party do to counter or work with possible US tariffs in the near future?
Tariffs and trade agreements rarely go to the House of Commons and any vote at the House is not legally binding. Perhaps this should be changed so trade agreements are more transparent and the elected officials representing their riding can stop bad deals.
Q: A housing shortage continues to plague the country – notably in Ontario. What realistic goals do you have to address this, including reducing the number of immigrants to an area with no housing?
The PPC wants to put a moratorium on immigration until the housing crisis is solved.
Q: Many Canadians are worried about U.S. President Trump’s call for making Canada their 51st state. Whether real or not, what would your party do to stop this type of threat?
Let the fool run his mouth. Don’t engage with fools.
Q: What do you, as a candidate, offer the citizens of New Tecumseth-Gwillimbury as a choice for their elected representative?
I have nothing to do with special interest groups. I will only vote with my conscience and what I feel is best for the riding.
Callum McKinnon – Green Party of Canada
Q: As this election was called rather quickly, what issues do you believe are the most pressing and important in terms of the short-term goals of the next government?
The most pressing issue is resolving the growing economic crisis in a way that benefits Canada and all Canadians, not just the richest 1 per cent. In light of Trump’s threats, it’s clear that we need to change our approach to trade, but we need to ensure everyone is supported by this change. I believe we have a perfect opportunity to shift our economy towards greener investments and technology, and we must do so with haste.
Q: What are the most important long-term goals of the next government over the next four years?
Over the next four years, improving trust in our democratic institutions will be remarkably important. What’s going on in the U.S. right now is a great example of what happens when that goes wrong. If we want to maintain the rule of law and our world-class democratic process, we have to show people that they can rely on those institutions by making sure they actually help Canadians, and trust the people that enforce them by holding them accountable when they break that trust.
Q: What will your party do to counter or work with, possible US tariffs in the near future?
The Green Party and I are committed to standing up to Trump by not giving him the oxygen to threaten us. By focusing on supporting Canadian production, diversifying our trading partners, and working to dismantle provincial trade barriers, we can smother the flames of the disgusting rhetoric coming from down south.
Q: A housing shortage continues to plague the country – notably in Ontario. What realistic goals do you have to address this, including reducing the number of immigrants to an area with no housing?
Housing is an essential [part] of life, and it should be treated as nothing less. That’s why I, along with the Green Party, will advocate for a National Affordable Housing Program, which would include capital grants for 20,000 new affordable units per year for 10 years. Furthermore, I will advocate for new public and cooperative housing developments to ensure that there is always a supply of affordable housing units where they are needed.
Q: Many Canadians are worried about President Trump’s statements about Canada becoming America’s 51st state. Whether real or not, what would your party do to stop this type of threat?
Diplomacy doesn’t work with Trump because of who he is. To stand up to him, we have to treat his rhetoric for what it is: drivel from a childish, manipulative bully. We must take it seriously without giving it attention. We also have to have important conversations with our allies to ensure that the global community stands with Canada. Under the Green Party’s watch, Canada will never be the 51st state.
Q: What do you, as a candidate, offer the citizens of New Tecumseth-Gwillimbury as a choice for their elected representative?
I’m an environmentalist, a student, and a leader who is committed to offering a new perspective in Parliament. I offer candidates a new, visionary choice that is serious about environmental action, affordable communities for every Canadian, and strong democracy.
Mike Hanrahan – Liberal
Q: As this election was called rather quickly, what issues do you believe are the most pressing and important in term of short-term goals of the next government?
As pertains to NTG (New Tecumseth–Gwillimbury), the immediate short-term goal will be supporting auto workers in Alliston.
Because a significant percentage of vehicles produced in Alliston are exported to the United States, the livelihoods of over 4,000 workers are at stake.
As well, with The Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA) coming up for renegotiation in less than a year, ensuring a fair deal for our agricultural sector is of paramount importance.
Q: What are the most important long-term goals of the next government over the next four years.
Making life affordable is a worldwide issue — even more so in this age of American tariffs — and that means we have to get Canadians earning more so that they can put food on their tables and roofs over their heads. I think Mark Carney’s plan to build 500,000 homes a year and cover apprenticeship training for people wishing to learn the trades is a package that goes hand in hand with working our way out of the present economic challenges.
Defending our sovereignty and spending more on our military will also assist our economic independence while we seek to address environmental challenges that will continue to worsen unless we transition to a greener economy by providing Canadians with optional incentives to make sustainable decisions.
Q: What will your party do to counter or work with, possible US tariffs in the near future?
Long term, as the Prime Minister of a G7 nation, the respect Mr. Carney receives worldwide from government and financial leaders means Canada will be well-positioned to establish new trade agreements while his plan to galvanize interprovincial trade by July of this year is probably the quickest way to counter Trump’s tariffs.
There is no valid reason as to why we cannot lessen our reliance on American exports by looking to other parts of Canada. We must do everything we can to remove barriers to interprovincial trade and labor mobility. I believe that we can supplement this by developing new relationships with more reliable partners, such as the European Union, to diversify our trade profile so all of our eggs aren’t in one basket.
Q: A housing shortage continues to plague the country – notably in Ontario. What realistic goals do you have to address this, including reducing the number of immigrants to an area with no housing?
As I mentioned, a Mark Carney government will build more homes at a rate not seen since the Second World War by investing in pre-fabricated housing and removing the GST on rental housing and new rental constructions.
NTG residents can learn more about how we intend to address this issue by visiting liberal.ca/housing-plan/
Q: Many Canadians are worried about US president Trump’s call for making Canada their 51st state. Whether real, or not, what would your party do to stop this type of threat?
In my view, we have to keep Canada united. Trump’s goal is to lay siege to our economy — to make life so difficult for Canadians that people start looking to join the USA as a means to overcome the hardships imposed upon us. I believe Mr. Carney’s policies — based on sound economic principles — will allow us to diversify our international trade, stimulate the domestic trade of goods and services, and insulate us from the American threat.
I think, actually, Mr. Carney will be setting the example that the rest of the world will follow to avoid the economic upheavals of Trump’s actions.
Q: What do you, as a candidate, offer the citizens of New Tecumseth-Gwillimbury as a choice for their elected representative?
My background is in political science, economics, and sustainable agriculture so I think I’m well equipped to aid our residents who work in both industry and small business and agriculture. Over 25% of Liberal MP’s are retiring, so young voices like my own will renew the party and send it in a direction NTG residents need. I’m approachable, energetic, passionate, and I’ll be available to work with you, other community leaders, and stakeholders to make the best decisions for our community.
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