THUNDER BAY – Caroline Mulroney decided last year that she wanted to be part of the team to end 15 years of Liberal government rule in Ontario. But it was just last month she realized she could be the right person to lead those efforts.
Mulroney became the first candidate in the expedited and compressed Ontario Progressive Conservative leadership race to touch down in Thunder Bay, meeting a crowd of more than 100 supporters at the Sleeping Giant Brewing Co. on Tuesday night. Over the next few weeks, party members across the province will determine who leads them to the polls on June 7 against Premier Kathleen Wynne and her Liberals, as well as Andrea Horwath and the Ontario NDP.
While she initially committed to run as the party’s candidate in the York-Simcoe riding under then-leader – and potential leadership rival – Patrick Brown, Mulroney saw a chance that she couldn’t pass up after Brown resigned amid sexual misconduct allegations.
“I decided I am the best person to lead the party,” Mulroney said in an interview. “After 15 years of Liberal government we need somebody who will actually present a fresh, new approach at Queen’s Park. People are tired of the same way of doing things.”
While a political rookie, the 43-year-old daughter of former prime minister Brian Mulroney brings two decades of private sector experience and established The Shoebox Project, a charitable organization that provides gifts to women at risk of homelessness.
Though new to the campaign trail, the mother of four said she believes she has the background that matters to Ontarians.
Kenora-Rainy River PC candidate Greg Rickford doesn’t think her lack of political experience will be a problem.
“I think it’s refreshing,” Rickford said. “Frankly, I think Ontarians and I noticed even within the Progressive Conservative party of Ontario there’s a certain need for a dynamism, newness and freshness.”
Mulroney, who has committed to doubling the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation’s annual budget to $200 million, also pledged to prioritize infrastructure that she said would “leave a legacy of prosperity for the next generation,” including health, education, broadband and transitioning remote communities off diesel generation.
The People’s Guarantee platform, developed under Brown’s leadership, proposed a revenue-neutral carbon tax that would help pay for a number of new policy initiatives.
Mulroney referred to that framework as a “starting point” but said she is against implementing a price on carbon. Nevertheless, she was confident she could find other means to balance the budget.
“The number one goal of my government will be to make sure life is more affordable for Ontarians across this province,” Mulroney said.
“Adding to the tax burden to people that are already overburdened was something I couldn’t do. The carbon tax was a portion of the People’s Guarantee. There was also an extensive value for money audit that’s going to happen. There are a lot of ways. I don’t think there’s a person in the province who doesn’t think the Liberals have been wasting our money for 15 years.”
Mulroney acknowledged the last few weeks – which has seen Brown's removal and likely re-entry into the leadership race along with interim leader Vic Fedeli declaring "rot" existing within the party – have been tumultuous but insisted the PCs are still the best choice to lead Ontario.
“I, as leader, will unite the party and focus on what makes us strong,” Mulroney said. “We are the right people to govern this province. We just need to win.”
Mulroney also made stops in Sudbury, Sault Ste. Marie and Timmins on her Northern Ontario tour. Poor weather cancelled a planned visit to Kapuskasing.
