THUNDER BAY -- Monte McNaughton is amazed at the number of ridings his party has abandoned.
Currently on a tour of all 107 Ontario ridings, the two-term MPP for Lambton-Kent-Middlesex said Northern Ontario is proof of that.
"Our party just hasn't spent time building an organization, recruiting volunteers and nurturing the riding associations," the 37-year-old Progressive Conservative leadership candidate said in Thunder Bay Tuesday.
McNaughton wants the party to reach out to its existing base but also focus on expanding. Young families, new Canadians, workers that have left the party and students could be attracted to the party.
But the party has to give them a reason to come. That's why McNaughton wants members to vote on election platforms before elections. When he first ran in 2007 under John Tory, McNaughton's then-girlfriend and now wife Kate said faith based schools would cost the party the election.
Last time around, his father, a firm believer in small government, said the now-infamous firing 100,000 civil servants policy would cost the party its chance to for a government.
"These are two people close to me. Their gut reaction was that these policies were devastating. I think that speaks volumes as to what our party needs to do. We've become very top-down," he said.
Membership needs to have a final say rather than two or three party insiders coming up with policies that have lost the PCs the past four elections.
"Without a doubt we've run four disastrous campaigns in Ontario," he said.
The party also needs to develop policy that reflects Ontarians.
"I think we're seen as the party of big business and I think if we're ever going to win a government we need to be on the side of everyday people," McNaughton said.
All eye in the province are on the Ring of Fire. But McNaughton said he's seen the Liberals pointing fingers at the federal government rather than getting the development going. McNaughton said 150,000 people have left the province for Western Canada. Employers, potential employees and other industries want to see the mining boom happen.
"I think the province has to do whatever it takes to build the infrastructure and move the project forward," he said.
