Tax freeze and repealing sex ed curriculum highlight Tanya Granic Allen tour

By Matthew Morgan

BELLEVILLE – Progressive Conservative Party leadership candidate Tanya Granic Allen vowed to repeal the sex education curriculum and freeze taxes before a group of local Tories at Slapshot Bar and Grill Wednesday afternoon.

Allen is running against past Ontario health-care ombudsman Christine Elliott, former Toronto city councillor Doug Ford, lawyer and businesswoman Caroline Mulroney and Patrick Brown, past leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario.

She is also the president of Parents As First Educators. The group is fighting against the practice of changes to the sex-ed curriculum in Ontario.

Allen says she is strongly against Kathleen Wynne‘s sex-ed curriculum and wants to make changes in favour of parental rights to have a greater input into the curriculum.

“There’s a lot of people and parents who are upset with Kathleen Wynne sex-ed curriculum,” she said. “I’m going to repeal it.”

“I’m a mother of four kids; I have a family just like many of you,” she said. “We’re going to scrap that curriculum, and we’re going to do what I call the four R’s. ”

Allen explained what the “four R’s” represents. She said the first “R” is to repeal, she said. Then review it; replace it; and, respect it, she added.

“Parental rights are paramount, and we have to respect that,” she said.

Allen talked about her plans for no new taxes and how she intends to eliminate the carbon tax.

“A lot of people are upset that we are adopting Justin Trudeau’s carbon tax. We’re going to scrap it,” she said. “No new taxes and no increase in taxes.”

Around 35 to 40 people were on hand as she made her way around the room and spoke with potential conservative voters.

Tiffany Cosco, a 41-year-old stay at home mother from Trenton, said that she plans on voting for Allen.

“I came to meet Tanya because I followed her since she became the president of PAFE,” she said. “I think that she offers something fresh and new to the Conservative Party and to the people of Ontario.”

A 72-year-old Rob Young, from Belleville, said that he is fed up with the current state of the government and that he believes something must be done to allocate change and that starts with leadership.

“I’m here because I’m sick and tired of crooked politics, via the Wynne government. It’s pathetic,” he said. “Anybody that stays current on issues should be sick and tired.”

It is a toss-up who will win, he said.

“It’s between Tanya and Christine Elliott,” he said.

Young said after watching the debates that he firmly believes that Allen came out on top and he said he feels that way because of her aggressive approach.

During the media scrum after the meet and greet with Allen, she was asked about former Progressive Conservative Party leader and fellow candidate Patrick Brown.

“There’s a lot of drama surrounding Patrick Brown, but I think he should not sit for election but not because of those allegations of sexual misconduct but in the way and the corrupt manner in which he has governed this party,” she said. “I don’t believe candidates should be bullied.”

In January 2018, two women made allegations of sexual misconduct against Brown. He resigned shortly after but maintained he was innocent. He was ejected from the caucus. Last week, Brown announced he wanted his old job back. After being vetted, he was approved to run for leadership on Feb.21.

Allen said she enjoys strong support in the riding.

“We’re getting emails, and phone calls from all over and I’m grateful for that grassroots support because I fell my message resonates with them,” she said.

Two of the other PC candidates were in the Bay of Quinte region recently. Doug Ford held a meet and greet at the Core centre in Belleville on Tuesday night and Christine Elliott stopped in Trenton for her campaign back on Feb.18.