The Conservative candidate for Simcoe-Grey in the upcoming federal election said there’s an issue embedded in him from 18 years of municipal politics: affordability.
Terry Dowdall is running for MP of Simcoe-Grey for the Conservative Party of Canada in the Oct. 21 federal election. He replaced current MP Kellie Leitch as the local candidate after she announced she wouldn’t run again.
Dowdall began as a school board trustee before being elected as a councillor, then deputy mayor, and finally as mayor of the Township of Essa. He was elected deputy warden for Simcoe County council, and served as interim-warden when Warden Gerry Marshall resigned last year.
Dowdall lived in Baxter where he owned a general store. He also owns commercial and residential rental properties. Dowdall moved to Clearview Township recently - between New Lowell and Creemore.
The Simcoe-Grey riding has elected a Conservative candidate federally since 2004 with Helena Guergis. Before that, Paul Bonwick of the Liberal Party of Canada was the local MP from 1997-2004.
“There are certainly pockets [of the riding] that are more Conservative than other pockets,” said Dowdall. “They’re not all Conservative. It’s not easy, it’s still work out there to make sure you win … people want good government, so I think that’s why they go towards the Conservative party.”
While he served on Simcoe County Council as Essa’s mayor and deputy mayor, he was also elected to the Federation of Canadian Municipalities board where he learned more about federal issues and the interactions between federal and municipal government.
He said his work at FCM over the years would be “the number one factor” in his decision to seek the MPs office.
“It opened my eyes to what the federal government had to do,” said Dowdall.
Those issues, he said, include things like cash for renovations and replacement of local hospitals, addressing a shortage of seniors’ homes for an aging population, affordable housing.
“I think you could go into any community in Canada now and hear that,” said Dowdall. “Every party sees it, it’s how they’re going to address the problem. For us, in order to invest in Canada, in order to invest in the things that are important for seniors, for the youth, we have to address the way that we spend our money.”
Dowdall said he’s concerned about affordability for the people of Simcoe-Grey, and for Canadians.
“There’s only so many dollars,” said Dowdall. “There’s just not a whole lot of money left in the people’s pockets at the end of the month.”
The official slogan for the federal Conservatives during this election is “Time for you to get ahead.”
For Dowdall, that speaks to affordability and prioritizing spending.
“It goes back to what is really important in people’s lives, and number one is putting more money into their pockets each week,” said Dowdall. “Really what it is, is putting all Canadians first … We need to take care of and spend our money in Canada right now for all Canadians. We’re taxed enough, we just have to find a way to make those monies go into the departments where Canadians feel there is value and where they are getting ahead.”
While Dowdall said the best kind of government for Canada is a majority Conservative government, he said some issues should be non-partisan.
“Affordable housing is something we see in every community, and we don’t want to leave anyone behind,” he said. “I think, hopefully, the parties can work together on those issues because it’s a common thread we have.”
He also wants parties to come together on a solution for the country’s debt.
“I wish that was non-partisan,” he said.
When it comes to Conservative leader Andrew Scheer, Dowdall said he’s met him on several occasions and considers him a “great guy” and a “family man.”
“As the youngest speaker of the house, I think it affords us a good opportunity to have somebody that has shown he has the ability to respect and get along with all parties,” said Dowdall. “I think that’s going to be a good trait for a Prime Minister.”
Dowdall is running against Green Party candidate Sherri Jackson, Liberal candidate Lorne Kenney, and NDP candidate Ilona Matthews for the Simcoe-Grey seat.
