After securing a seventh term as MPP for Haliburton-Kawartha Lakes-Brock, Laurie Scott told The Highlander she believes the Progressive Conservatives, led by Doug Ford, were the best option to lead Ontario through choppy, tariff-infested waters.
With U.S. president Donald Trump implementing 25 per cent tariffs on Canadian imports March 4, Scott said
following her Feb. 27 win that the PCs have a plan to hit back.
On Tuesday, Ford ripped up Ontario’s $100 million deal with Starlink, an internet provider owned by Elon Musk, and said U.S. companies will be banned from provincial procurements projects as part of his response to the tariffs. He also said Ontario will place a 25 per cent surcharge on electricity flowing from plants this side
of the border into the U.S.
“We’re in a world we’ve never experienced before – all I heard on the campaign trail was about Trump, the tariffs
and what’s going to happen to Ontario and the economy,” Scott said. “We will be strong, and we will make the necessary moves to protect Ontario.”
Scott win ‘foregone conclusion
Scott recieved 51.9 per cent of the riding’s vote. Turn out was 49.8 per cent up marginally from 48.14 per cent in
2022, with 51,027 of 104,325 registered electors casting a ballot.
County issues
With basic living costs spiralling, Scott was asked what she would do to make life more affordable for people in
Haliburton County.
“The provincial government has given lots of tax cuts to low-income earners and made different increases to things like ODSP… we cut and give back what we can, like the 10 cents per litre in the gas tax,” she said.
In 2022, the province temporarily reduced the gas tax rate by 5.7 cents per litre, and the diesel tax rate by 5.3 cents per litre. The move was extended to June 30 of this year last October. Since July 2023, people living on ODSP have had their rates increased 11 per cent.
After touting a major focus on affordable housing following her 2022 election win, Scott claims she followed
through on that promise after a Jan. 28 announcement that Minden will receive $2.4 million to bolster the local rental supply.
That build will be headed up by the Kawartha Lakes Haliburton Housing Corporation, Scott said, though she
offered no timelines for when the money will be paid out, when shovels will hit the ground, or how many affordable units will be created.
With Haliburton Highlands Health Services planning a 98-unit $49 million expansion to Hyland Crest long-term
care home in Minden, Scott indicated she is supportive of the proposal.
“I like to see the progression – it would mean more beds. I’ve been talking with [HHHS CEO] Veronica Nelson, the
ministry is involved to look at that whole bigger picture of evolution of LTC in the County… we’ve been looking at that for a while,” Scott said, noting she’s also had recent discussions with Extendicare over their future build in the County.
The province announced a $41 million investment with the for-profit care provider in February 2022 for a new
128-bed facility.
“They’ve chosen to build Peterborough first. They tell me Haliburton is next… I think they want to be assured of
staffing. There’s a lot of issues they’re looking at,” she said. “Not exactly a date [for start-up], but very soon. It’s still in the future; their plan is to build there.”
In January, Extendicare told The Highlander it has yet to determine a location for the new facility.
Other candidates respond
Liberal candidate Alison Bennie, who recieved 11,688 votes, said she is “the happiest loser in Ontario” after
coming in a surprise second-place in HKLB.
“I really am speechless… I said if I got over 1,000 votes that I’d be happy,” Bennie said. “One of the reasons I ran
was because I didn’t want to see the party go downhill to nothing in this riding. I spoke to a lot of people and
provided a different choice – I’m not your standard, polished person. I’m more ‘let’s get together and work this
out’, bit of an underdog, and I think that resonated with people.”
Barbara Doyle, a repeat runner for the NDP after finishing second in 2022, was a distant third, with 6,993 votes.
Speaking to The Highlander an hour before polls closed, she said she had a good feeling after a month on the
campaign trail.
“The day-to-day affordability was really what people were talking about… things felt different than 2022. So many
people told me they’re voting NDP for the first time ever,” Doyle said.
County resident Tom Regina, representing the Greens, took home a lesser split of the vote this time around, down
from seven per cent in 2022, but finished in fourth place – ahead of New Blue candidate Jacquie Barker.
Speaking after results were confirmed, he said it was a “forgone conclusion” Scott would reclaim her seat though
was surprised by a strong Liberal performance.
In what was his second Ontario election, Regina said he was unsure if he would run again in future.
“I can’t look much past tomorrow, let alone three or four years down the road,” he said.
