Penetanguishene mayor announces bid for provincial NDP nomination

Penetanguishene Mayor Gerry Marshall today announced that he will seek the New Democratic Party nomination in the riding of Simcoe North. 

Marshall, who cites business experience as one of his major strengths, will be taking on incumbent Progressive Conservative Garfield Dunlop, who has represented the riding since 1999.

Marshall said he hadn’t considered pursuing higher office when he was elected mayor in 2010, in his first foray into politics. 

But “the reality is, the issues that most impact Penetanguishene impact our immediate neighbours, in fact, they impact the entire riding of Simcoe North and they are only resolvable at Queen’s Park,” he said in a prepared speech. 

Marshall noted that as of January 1 2014, Simcoe North municipalities will experience a 10 per cent increase in policing costs, a tax hit of $1.8 million that taxpayers can ill afford. 

“When we combine policing costs with the economic and environmental impacts of low water levels a “perfect storm” exists to debilitate and depress our area as never seen before,” he said.

Lower water levels in the Upper Great Lakes will cost Simcoe North $84 million in lost revenues, he estimated.

Also of concern is the impact on the ability of Christian Island residents to travel safely to the mainland.

Marshall noted that he has worked to pressure the provincial government to have policing and low water level issues addressed – but small-town provincial Ontario has been “totally abandoned.”

He referred to his proven track record of being transparent at the municipal level, and of fighting for transparency at the county level. 

He said Ontario NDP leader Andrea Horvath and her team understand the issues of Simcoe North and rural Ontario.

“You may ask me ‘why now?’” he said. “As you can imagine, I wrestled with leaving my role as Mayor versus taking on the larger challenge of representing all of Simcoe North at the Provincial level. 

“The reality is my passion for Penetanguishene is the exact reason I stand before you today. The issues that I am championing on behalf of Penetangusihene need to be championed for all of Simcoe North.”