Will Liberal Leader Steven Del Duca be victorious in his own riding?

In Vaughan-Woodbridge, a riding on the outskirts of Toronto, more than half the population is of Italian origin. The community is tightly knit. If he remains rather unknown elsewhere in the province, people here know Liberal leader Steven Del Duca well.

That doesn’t mean we’re going to vote for himswings one of the two men.

The former Minister of Transport under Kathleen Wynne wants to become Premier of Ontario, but the race already looks tough in his riding, created in 2015 after a redistribution.

Elected leader in 2020, Steven Del Duca held the former seat of Vaughan between 2012 and 2018, before being defeated by nearly 8,000 votes in the last election, carried away by the blue wave which swept over 905, in the suburbs of Toronto .

In the hope that his party will take over the region, Mr. Del Duca crisscrosses the constituencies of 905. The strategy, crucial for him to win, however has a disadvantage: it leaves the field open to the progressive conservative Michael Tibollo , outgoing minister responsible for mental health and addictions, to comb Vaughan-Woodbridge with an army of volunteers.

Even the nonnas are divided

The almost constant stream of older people we encounter exiting an Italian supermarket is divided.

Two grandmothers tell us that they were seduced by Michael Tibollo, others are unfailing liberals.

The younger ones are also divided.

Frank big frank Angiletta is undecided. The cost of living is the main issue that concerns him, since he is an Uber driver. In his forties, he still lives with his parents.

Gasoline at $2 a liter is way too high! Lucky that I’m Italian and I can still live with parents, because the cost of houses is way too high too.

For Niko Giantsopoulos, in his twenties, met while filming videos for his TikTok account, the choice is simple: liberal, because his father has him raised as a liberal.

The community has changedsays another passer-by who prefers to keep his name quiet. There is a liberal tradition among the oldest, but the youngest are seduced by the economic message of Ford and Tibollo.

Imran Awan, owner of a driving school in Vaughan, is considering giving Steven Del Duca a chance. She is currently considering the proposals of all the other parties, because she is disappointed with Doug Ford.

She was almost forced to shut down the business she started with her husband over 25 years ago.

We needed more help during the pandemic. Young people stopped taking driving lessons during the pandemic and now I’m drowning in debt. Government allowances of $10,000 were really not enough to help us make ends meetshe says.

I have children, bills to pay!

According to polling aggregator 338Canada, the Progressive Conservatives are currently the favorites in the riding. The Liberals are visibly aware of the hot fight looming, as the party has ramped up Facebook ads specifically targeted at Vaughan-Woodbridge voters since the campaign began.

Tibollo not available

We tried to meet Mr. Tibollo, but he did not respond to our requests and was not at his campaign office when we visited. Earlier this month, however, he told a colleague that in four years he had haven’t seen Steven Del Duca once in the county.

The tide still has time to turn between now and June 2, but if Steven Del Duca were to lose in Vaughan–Woodbridge, it could be difficult for him to stay at the head of the party. Asked about this at a press briefing on Wednesday, the Liberal leader refused to consider this possibility.

My neighbors know I’ve done a lot for them over the yearssaid the chief.

Also at a press briefing on Wednesday, Doug Ford said he was sure that Michael Tibollo could defeat Steven Del Duca again.

” The people of Vaughan do not want tax increases. They remember well what Steven Del Duca did. He is the one who set up tolls on the highways! »