One of the four candidates vying for the leadership of the Ontario Liberal Party will be making a stop in Chatham-Kent this weekend.
Ted Hsu will be in Chatham at Turns and Tales Board Game Cafe on Saturday at 10 a.m. to meet with local Liberals and address questions and concerns from area residents.
“It’s a matter of listening to people… I introduce myself a little bit at the beginning, but I like them to ask me hard questions and tell me what’s going on in their communities,” he said. “I’m trying to earn support by earning trust.”
Prior to his career in politics, Hsu worked as a finance executive and the executive director of a sustainable energy association.
Hsu, who is the current MPP for Kingston and the Islands, said there are several issues that need attention at the provincial level such as ensuring the growth electric vehicle industry in Ontario, the lack of family doctors, and housing affordability.
He added that he is the only leadership candidate focusing on agriculture.
“I want to preserve prime agricultural land, it’s one of the pillars of my platform but to do that we have to stop urban sprawl,” said Hsu.
While the Liberal Party currently only holds nine seats in the Ontario Legislature, Hsu said the party has a real chance at victory in the 2026 election.
“I personally believe it’s not going to be because of some leader with last name recognition and popularity. I think it’s going to be a hard slog,” he said. “For southwestern Ontario, it’s been a downward decline for a couple of decades now. Southwestern Ontario used to be the heart of the Ontario Liberal Party… I think we need to get back to reconnect with southwestern Ontario.”
Hsu currently faces three other candidates in the leadership race — Bonnie Crombie, Nate Erskine-Smith, and Yasir Naqvi. Former candidate Adil Shamji dropped out of the race last week and announced his support for Crombie.
The Liberal leadership election will take place November 25-26, with the winner to be announced on December 2.