Zoey Duncan
Following a marathon day of meetings and balloting, Kenora city councillor and sawmill manager Rod McKay was elected Saturday as the Progressive Conservative candidate for Kenora-Rainy River for the Oct. 6 provincial election.
He defeated fellow Kenora Coun. Louis Roussin, who had a background in risk-management for the forestry industry, insurance, real estate, and development.
Party members voted in Fort Frances, Dryden, and Kenora, with results counted late Saturday night.
“I’m running in this election because every day I live being frustrated by the inaction and poor policy of the McGuinty government,” McKay said in his morning speech at La Place Rendez-Vous here.
“I’m frustrated by the lack of recognition of the people, issues, and businesses in Northern Ontario,” he stressed.
“Frustrated because it could be so much better.”
McKay said working in the highly-regulated natural resources industry has inspired his latest political move.
“Going to work for the last two-and-a-half years to an idled sawmill gives me the drive and ambition to change a situation we all face in Northern Ontario. . . .
“Wood supply for sawmills in the forest industry in Northern Ontario has been a really big issue,” he added.
“With no wood supply, you can’t do investing, you can’t get banks to be interested in your investment, so you just sit hoping for an answer.
“So I’m committed to making sure these things happen quickly and afford businesses the opportunity to make big decisions,” McKay pledged.
Party president Ken Zeise, also was on hand for Saturday morning’s meeting here, said he was pleased they held off on selecting a candidate until longtime NDP MPP Howard Hampton announced his retirement at the end of July.
“We’re really excited,” Zeise said.
“Polls go up and down, but we sense that more change is ahead in Northwestern Ontario,” he remarked.
