More signs of the provincial election are popping up.
Surrounded by family and supporters, Timmins Liberal candidate Mickey Auger opened his campaign office at 5 Elm St. N.
Healthcare, a gas-price watchdog and making the north a better place are a few of the issues he talked about at the official launch of his campaign.
Seniors are also an important topic for Auger.
“As of August 2019 you will not have to pay the $100 in dispensing fees, which is a good cost for myself it’s $600 a year for my medication, and when I turn 65, if I reach that goal, I get a cheque for $750 to hire someone to come and clean my sidewalk or driveway and if I have money left over they can cut my grass also at the same time. That forces people to stay in their homes, which we want,” he said.
He also noted that in the next four years, the Liberal’s want to hire 32 longterm care workers and 5,500 nurses for the north.
A retired police officer, Auger is the president of the South Porcupine Food Bank, a volunteer with the Timmins Native Friendship Centre, and has helped out Santa Claus at Christmas for nearly four decades.
“I’m not doing this for me, I’m doing this for my community and the people of Timmins because they mean more to me than anything besides my kids — my son and daughter — and my grandkids, they’re a priority. And if I can do something for them to stay in the north, I’m going to do the best I can to make sure that they stay here because there’s nothing wrong with the north, it’s just the people down south don’t understand,” he said.
Auger is the third candidate to open his office in Timmins.
NDP Gilles Bisson’s office is located at 170 Third Ave., while PC Yvan Genier’s location is at 190 Third Ave.
The other candidates are Libertarian Jozef Bauer, Northern Ontario Party’s Gary Schaap, and Lucas Black Schinbeckler with the Green Party.
Election day in Ontario is June 7.
