Christine cares for the vulnerable

Christine Elliott, Whitby-Oshawa MPP, says she wants to help Ontario's most vulnerable people if she becomes Ontario's next premier.

Elliott is running to be leader of Ontario's Progressive Conservative party after Tim Hudak announced he would step aside in the wake of last summer's loss to the Liberals.

Tuesday marked Elliott's second visit to Sault Ste. Marie during the current leadership campaign (she visited the city in the fall of 2014), as she met and discussed issues with PC party supporters at Comfort Suites and Conference Centre.

"On the social side, there are people who have children with autism who can't get the programs and services they need, there are frail, elderly seniors who need more home care services and more long term care services, and young people with developmental disabilities who have nothing to look forward to after they finish school," Elliott said, speaking to SooToday.

"We have to be fiscally responsible, not spending money you don't have, but spending the money you do have on priorities…so we can be socially compassionate, so we can offer those programs and services to our most vulnerable citizens."

"That is a message people are responding to very well, whether they're members of our party or people in the province who may not have a political affiliation just yet.  I believe they're Progressive Conservatives, they just don't know it yet," Elliott said.

Elliott said some PC policies scared many voters in the last election in June 2014.  

"We didn't provide a real alternative, in the minds of many people, to Kathleen Wynne and the Liberals, we need to change that and let people understand we are responsible fiscally so we can be socially compassionate."

Elliott said employers should be encouraged to hire people with disabilities, not as an act of charity, but to get people off ODSP and be granted the dignity of work in a more inclusive society.

Elliott also said lower taxes are essential for businesses and job creation, but added it is also imperative for young people to be encouraged to go into areas in which they are most likely to find work, such as skilled trades.

In regards to healthcare, Elliott said the healthcare system needs to be prepared to treat more patients with dementia as time goes by.

Economically, Elliott said the PCs, along with non-partisan economic experts, agree the current Liberal plan to eliminate the deficit by 2017 is unrealistic.

"We need to take a look at the budget  and do a line by line analysis of where we're getting value…to get rid of the programs that don't (have value) and reinvest money into other areas."

As for northern issues, Elliott said "the major thing I've been hearing is that decisions about the north are best made in the north and not at Queen's Park…as party leader I would want to make sure there is northern representation at the policy making and decision making tables."

The PCs are encouraging people to get politically involved and purchase party memberships before the end of February to vote for a new party leader.  

Party members will pick a new leader by casting ballots in each of Ontario's 107 ridings May 7, the ballot boxes shipped to Toronto, the winning candidate announced May 9. 

Elliott announced her candidacy for the PC leadership in June 2014.

She is one of five party leadership candidates, along with Patrick Brown, Vic Fedeli, Lisa MacLeod and Monte McNaughton.

Elliott, who practiced law before entering politics, was married to Jim Flaherty, former federal finance minister, who passed away in April, 2014.

She was first elected to the Ontario Legislature for Whitby-Oshawa in a 2006 by-election, replacing Flaherty after he was elected at the federal level.

Elliott made a run for the PC leadership in 2009, and served as the party's deputy leader before announcing she would take a second run for the party's top job.