THUNDER BAY – The NDP has chosen small-business owner Lise Vaugeois to attempt to wrest Thunder Bay-Superior North away from cabinet minister Michael Gravelle.
The first-time candidate defeated Alain Lauzon to win the nod.
Vaugeois pointed to skyrocketing hydro bills under Premier Kathleen Wynne for inspiring her to seek the nomination for the second straight election. She lost to Thunder Bay Coun. Andrew Foulds four years ago.
“I have seen the damage the Wynne Liberals have done to our hydro system firsthand and I’m worried that the Conservatives will be no better – they’ve said they’ll leave Wynne’s $40 billion hydro borrowing scheme in place if they’re elected. It's not enough to just vote against the Wynne Liberals – we need to think about what kind of premier and government we want next,” Vaugeois said in a release issued by the party on Sunday night.
Vaugeois is also an adjunct professor at Lakehead University, holds a PhD in music education and has performed with the Thunder Bay-Symphony Orchestra.
“I know that the only party that will really make a difference in the lives of people in Thunder Bay is the NDP. I’m running because I want to make sure that our next government in Ontario is an NDP government with Andrea Horwath as premier. Andrea gets the North and I know she will make sure that northern families are top priority for the government.”
Lauzon said he was glad he threw his name into the ring.
"It's not the result I was looking for, but it was great experience. This party has great momentum moving forward," he wrote on Twitter.
The next provincial election is scheduled for June 2018.
