Local Ontario PC candidate still sees big future for Mulroney
Adam Bramburger
Beaver Staff
While he supported Caroline Mulroney in the Ontario PC leadership race, Hastings-Lennox and Addington candidate Daryl Kramp is looking forward to running alongside Doug Ford in June’s election.
Speaking between organizing meetings in the Napanee area Tuesday and in Bancroft Wednesday, Kramp said he’s known Ford for years and has had an opportunity to see the new party leader work.
“Actually, I think it is going to work out fine. We’ve got to get beyond the perceptions and deal with reality. The people have made their decision on it,” he said. “I’ve known Doug for a long time. He’s a tremendous hard worker. He’s donated his salary from council to charity for years. He has a common-man touch. He actually cares.”
Kramp noted in his experience, Ford’s policy experiences have been aimed at benefitting every-day Canadians and respecting tax money. He added he expects he’ll have an “open for business” approach.
While the former MP says he doesn’t know exactly what tweaks Ford will suggest the party makes to the policy documents it released last year, he expects the platform will remain “moderate” with a few changes. Kramp added he’s personally “quite content” to move forward with The People’s Guarantee given it was sourced directly from the membership of the party and approved at a convention.
Kramp called the snap leadership selection process the party endured over the past six weeks “a bit of a disappointment” and something where the organization left something to be desired. One consolation he was able to take was that Hastings-Lennox and Addington officials were able to set up offices to help people navigate the system and cast their ballots.
“We had a very high turnout from our riding and we’re feeling pretty good about that.”
Moving forward, Kramp said his team is fully prepared to enter election mode. They have an office operating in Napanee already and will soon add locations in Centre Hasting and Bancroft.
“We’ve been working and we are prepared. We’ve spent the last year or more since the nomination listening to people to know their concerns and issues. I really want to deliver results for them, that’s my focus.”
At present, Kramp has three rivals on the hustings. Nate Smelle will represent the NDP, Lonnie Hamilton will carry the Trillium Party of Ontario banner, and Grant Dewar will run for the None Of The Above Party. The Liberals have yet to announce their candidate for the newly amalgamated riding.
On a daily basis, Kramp says he’s in touch with MPPs and party staff to stay in the loop on developments.
As for Mulroney, Kramp said he knew going into the vote she likely wouldn’t win, but he stands by his decision to support the candidate who finished a distant third behind Ford and Christine Elliott.
“I was looking for the overall perception of the party. It couldn’t be a one-trick pony. She has some tremendous strengths and I wanted to see a new face and a new vision,” he said. “She’s a very bright, intelligent lady. As a party, we have to grow and have a number of different strengths presented. She’ll play a very strong role in this party.”
Kramp noted that just one day after the vote Saturday, Mulroney was out campaigning door-to-door in her York-Simcoe riding.