NDP Leader Andrea Horwath is promising to be the champion southwestern Ontario needs.
She spoke to a large crowd of community leaders from Chatham-Kent and Windsor-Essex at the Bradley Centre in Chatham on Wednesday afternoon.
Horwath is promising investment and not cuts to services including lower hydro bills, a better drug plan and no more school closures.
She says the NDP will pay for its plan by redirecting wasted tax money to meet the priorities of Ontarians.
"A billion dollars to cancel gas plants, or whether you're talking about another billion dollars on e-health or $8-billion in improperly spent infrastructure money with the way the Liberals have feathered the nest of their friends. That money needs to be diverted to meet the needs of families," says Horwath.
NDP Leader Andrea Horwath speaks to a large crowd of community leaders from Chatham-Kent and Windsor-Essex at the Bradley Centre in Chatham. Sept 06, 2017. (Photo by Paul Pedro)
The NDP caucus has been meeting in Chatham since Tuesday to gather ideas for its platform.
The provincial election is set for June 7, but the premier could call it early.
Horwath told local leaders that the NDP is the partner they need.
"I think you can have governments that actually work for people and provide what people need and what people want. Things like their basic services, their healthcare system where you're not lined up in the hall on a stretcher for five days in a row, things like an education system that keeps your local schools open," Horwath says.
Horwath says most communities across southwestern Ontario share similar problems and the NDP will provide solutions to keep schools and hospital beds open.
"Making sure that communities are able to thrive, that basic services are there for people, that your schools are strong and open and that they're able to provide services for kids, that your healthcare system is adequate and the agricultural community is supported," says Horwath.
