Former mayoral candidate Sarah Thomson may have been unsuccessful in the municipal election, but she is now making a bid for the Ontario Liberal party.
Sarah Thomson, CEO of the Women’s Post, announced on her Facebook page that she will run for the Liberals in the downtown riding Trinity-Spadina.
The riding has been held by NDP Rosario Marchese for the last 21 years.
Thomson said she chose the area because she moved there when she came to Toronto, and where she met her husband Greg Thomson.
She says the current MPP has not accomplished much in the last 21 years of his riding.
“I’m all about the committee of Trinity and Spadina, and the type of people that live there, what their needs are,” Thomson said. “I think they’ve been ignored for the last (21) years.”
Thomson says her campaign for Toronto’s mayoralty has helped many people to get to know her.
Thomson said her focuses of the area would involve a long-term vision and strategy, including a clean energy plan, education, health, and the architecture.
“If we don’t invest as soon as possible, problems will arise,” she said.
Marchese says he accepts Thomson as a candidate.
“Thomson is a credible candidate, she ran for mayor in the election,” Marchese said. “I take her very seriously.”
Marchese is seeking re-election for his riding. If re-elected, he will continue to mainly focus on education issues. One of the issues he wants to fight against is parents having to raise $6 million outside of their tax money for school programs.
“It’s a two-tier program,” he explained. “Wealthy schools are able to raise a lot of money, while poorer schools raise less dollars.”
One of the other issues that Marchese is concerned about is the burden of the HST, especially on hydro, for people who earn modest incomes.
He said he is not concerned about criticism from opponents.
“Look at the backbenchers (Liberals), they have very little power,” he said.
Marchese is critical of the failures of the Liberals, such as the burden of the HST and families not being able to afford raising money for school programs.