Editor,

I find Jim Merriam's comments about Andrea Horwath in his recent column on the June provincial election surprising. Over and over, Andrea Horwath, the leader of the Ontario NDP, has rated higher in polls than Premier Kathleen Wynne and former PC leader Patrick Brown. Simply put, when people see Andrea Horwath speak they like her, and they trust her. One of Horwath's speeches on universal pharmacare which is circulating on the Internet has received a lot of positive attention. The reason people like the speech is because they see Horwath's passion for something she believes in. Pharmacare has been a pillar of the NDP platform for years. Many people have caught Horwath's enthusiasm, and it's great that another mainstream party is taking our lead and is now looking at the health benefits of pharmacare.

It is interesting that Merriam focused on the PC candidates' positions on energy and hydro. People in Ontario are really upset that the Liberals sold off Hydro One. It is a betrayal. It is well known that it was the Ontario PCs that set the stage for privatization in the hydro system and resulting higher bills. PC Premier Mike Harris had promised lower hydro rates and failed.

The PC leadership candidates talk about mismanagement of the hydro portfolio. They wish to subsidize private companies by giving them our public tax dollars, so the companies can make a bigger profit while we are paying more. That's expensive. They are not addressing the real issue. Both the Liberals and PCs have taken us down the path of privatization, which will cost Ontario rate payers dearly for generations to come unless reversed. Repeatedly, when asked, people say they want Hydro One put back in public hands, and the Ontario NDP is the only party that plans to do that.

Regardless of who is chosen as new leader of the PCs, recent history shows that the more people see Horwath in action, and the more they see her plans, the more people are inspired by her. Horwath is leading the Ontario NDP higher and higher in the polls. She is a serious contender to be the next Premier of Ontario.

Sincerely,

Karen Gventer
Provincial Election Candidate
Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound NDP