MPP Dave Smith Reflects On Political Career As He Seeks Three-Peat In Thursday's Provincial Election
/With the provincial election this Thursday, Peterborough Kawartha MPP Dave Smith reflects on his political career as he goes for the three-peat, seeking a third consecutive term.
Smith talks to constituants at AON Inc’s Royal Gardens Retirement Residence days before election this Thursday. Photo by David Tuan bui.
Smith was first elected in 2018 for the Progressive Conservative Party, defeating current Peterborough mayor and then incumbent Jeff Leal of the Liberal Party. He won his second term in 2022, making him the most recent Conservative Party member elected as Peterborough-Kawartha MPP in back-to-back terms since Gary Stewart did it from 1995 to 2003.
Smith visited Royal Gardens Retirement Residence and held a Q&A session for constituents living on the grounds.
Among topics discussed, including US President Donald Trump’s tariffs and employment, among other issues, healthcare was one of the critical topics Smith and the residents touched on.
“We've laid the groundwork for a lot of things. There are things like adding doctors. It just takes five years for a doctor to be trained. There's no way we can get around that,” explained Smith. “With the work we have done, the increase in the number of residence positions by 400. We are producing more doctors now than we were. We're going to see the benefits of that.”
“My whole philosophy on this is that I owe a debt to the people of Ontario that I cannot repay. The only way I can start to give back is to continue doing this work to make that our community is in a better position than it was when I first found it,” added Smith. “I think a lot of the work I've been doing has been about that. That's what my focus is on, ‘How can continue to improve the situation for people here?’”
Smith adds that the provincial government is adding a $6.2 million Homeless Addiction Rehabilitation Treatment (HART) hub, announced in late January. His government also proposed a $1.13 million detox and residential treatment facility in Peterborough, containing six drug and six detox beds for those battling with addictions that were announced in February 2023. These are several moves, among many, that he said he would continue to do for Peterborough-Kawartha.
“We've increased the funding for the Peterborough Regional Hospital. We've added tools for physician recruitment, we have changed the process, the scope of nurse practitioners can do more of what they're taught and not have their hands handcuffed on certain things and we'll continue down that path and meeting people where they are but we're not leaving them there,” Smith said. “We're going to do everything we can to improve the lives of as many people as possible.
Smith has been challenged by all new candidates since the last provincial election in 2022, except Jen Deck, who is once again running as the NDP candidate.
Regardless of Thursday’s outcome, Smith reflects on serving two terms at MPP and has not taken his role for granted.
“I'm proud of the fact that people have put their trust to serve their needs, to listen to what they have to say and I think when you look at what I have done, the legacy will be that I listened, I reacted, I tried to improve the situation and I'll continue to do that,” concluded Smith.
The following are the candidates running for Peterborough-Kawartha MPP:
MPP Dave Smith: PC Party of Ontario (incumbent)
Adam Hopkins: Ontario Liberal Party
Jen Deck: Ontario NDP/NPD
Lucas Graham: Green Party of Ontario GPO
Brian Martindale: Ontario Party
Andrew Roudny: New Blue Party
