KENORA - Historically, Kenora-Rainy River was an NDP and Liberal territory. That all changed in 2018 when Kiwetinoong separate into its own riding splitting the votes between the two ridings.
It was then that the Progressive Conservative Greg Rickford held a tight grip on the Kenora-Rainy River turning the riding blue in his first provincial election win.
Previously, Rickford served as a federal MP under Stephen Harper’s Conservatives in 2008.
Rickford would hold many positions during his career.
In 2011, he took on the task of the Ministry of Indian Affairs and the Ministry of Northern Development, then as Minister of State for Northern Ontario, as well as the Minister of Natural Resources.
Rickford was defeated in 2015’s federal election by Bob Nault and Howard Hampton, but later re-entered politics in 2017 and won the riding in 2018.
Under Doug Ford’s Conservatives, Rickford has served as the Minister of Energy, and after a consolidation of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry with the Ministry of Northern Development of Mines, Rickford now leads that Ministry, along with Indigenous Affairs.
Before his political career, Rickford worked as a lawyer in Toronto and as a nurse in northern First Nation communities with degrees from McGill and Laval.
Now, in front of his roaring team in Kenora’s famous Bob’s Burgers restaurant, Rickford announced four more years as MPP of the Kenora-Rainy River riding.
“I want to thank the other candidates. Kenora-Rainy River is one of the largest ridings, but I think tonight the folk in Kenora-Rainy River sent a clear message,” said Rickford. “They appreciate the work we’ve done, but they expect an even higher expectation of the work that we have to do.”
Tomorrow Rickford has the next four years to plan, but in the meantime also mentioned that he will need a day to spend with his family stating somewhat jokingly, “I have a significant deficit with that.”
However, afterwards, It's back to the office to get it done on his election promises.
When asked what he plans on accomplishing first, Rickford said, “well, there are two things. The first is to keep on doing the things that we are doing. Clear that was the measure of success that we have tonight. The other is to listen to the people that answered their door. More than 17000 people. That’s unprecedented as far as I know by any standard. They have asked for a commitment to ensure that we invest in health care, in education, support small businesses, growth in the resource sector forestry and mining, and make sure there is a bright and better day in Northwestern Ontario.
