
Marit Stiles and Amanda Robertson
By: Hailey MacDonald
BELLEVILLE – Ontario NDP leader Marit Stiles came to Belleville on Feb. 3 to support Bay of Quinte NDP Amanda Robertson at her new campaign office and encourage people to use their voice with their vote.
Stiles received a warm welcome from the crowd as she entered the office and stood alongside Robertson, as well as Bruce Lepage who is running for the NDP in Northumberland , Jessica Zielke from Hastings Lennox & Addington and Arthur Augustine from Ajax as well as their spouses.
Stiles began her speech by discussing the tariffs U.S. President Donald Trump is threatening to impose and what that would mean for the average Ontario resident.
“Life is already hard and is already expensive in the province of Ontario,” she said. “What is this going to mean for us?”
Stiles addressed the concerns she has heard from residents about the cost of rent, grocery prices, job stability and the overall quality of life that could be impacted even more with the 25 per cent tariff threat.
“We have been left so vulnerable.”
Stiles also spoke on the Starlink deal Doug Ford had previously signed. Starlink is owned by Space X, a company owned by billionaire Elon Musk.
“He says today he’s going to tear up the Starlink deal? Come on. He never had to sign that deal in the first place,” she said.
Ford changed his mind about cancelling the deal later in the day Monday after Trump and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau negotiated a month long delay in the imposition of tariffs.
“Let’s focus on supporting Ontario and Canadian companies. Let’s back Ontario jobs. Let’s make sure that we protect every single job in the province of Ontario right now. He has left us vulnerable and I want to tell the people of Ontario, I will not leave you like that. I will be there for you.”
Another important topic of discussion for Stiles was the education system in Ontario, particularly post-secondary education.
Last week, Loyalist College announced the suspension of 24 programs and a 20 per cent cut in staffing. Stiles took aim at the state of the system.
“The Ontario government under Doug Ford and the Conservatives funds our post-secondary institutions at the lowest rate of any province,” she said.
“If we’re going to be able to build the skilled workforce, to tariff-proof our economy, that’s a big focus for me with the threats that are before us. We have to invest in our post-secondary institutions and right now, we are seeing programs cut, people laid off, we cannot continue on this path, this is going to have a devastating impact on local economies,”
“The NDP (are) going to be a government that is on the side of Ontarians.”
Stiles continued to encourage the crowd to vote on election day, “even in the middle of winter” and reminded them that their vote is “their voice” and to use it powerfully in the change they want to see in Ontario.
Voters head to the polls on Feb. 27.
