Former MP in the running for PC MPP representative

Prince Edward—Hastings MPP Todd Smith, left, shakes hands with former MP Daryl Kramp in Madoc Monday, Oct. 3. / SUBMITTED

Former Hastings-Lennox and Addington MP Daryl Kramp is looking to return to politics as an MPP.

Kramp joined the race for nomination as the representative of the Ontario Progressive Conservative Party for the Hastings-Lennox and Addington Monday, Oct. 3, in Madoc. 

Kramp said he's getting involved because he can't stand by and watch Ontario become a “have-not province.”

“Just take a look at the massive divide between rural and urban like our unaffordable energy costs are driving people out of their homes. We are just a massive regulatory nightmare with mismanagement and basically strangling our economy,” said Kramp. “This government that's in there right now just doesn't seem to feel the challenges that are out there so something has to happen and it has to be changed.”

He added, “I've lived here all my life. I've been involved in both municipal as well as federal politics, so I know the riding backwards. New riding, old riding, I'm really well versed with the challenges and the problems and of course, the opportunities that we have in front of us.”

Kramp is a familiar face in the area after having served for six years in the Municipality of Madoc and as MP for Hastings-Lennox and Addington from 2004 to 2015. He lost to Liberal MP Mike Bossio last year by the skin of his teeth — the votes tallying in at 20,813 to 20,440.

“There's some differences and there are some similarities,” said Kramp when asked what he could expect as an MPP instead of an MP if he takes the nomination and then the election. “The differences of course are depending on the responsibility of government. We are going to be talking about issues that are closer to the interests of the riding.”

He added, “I also served municipally. When you do that you [get] a feel [for municipal needs.] In my federal role I was able to interact on a consistent basis through all of our municipal people. So whether we have a problem with the cost of policing, as we do, [or] we have a high unemployment level, I'm totally familiar [with] all of those challenges and problems. Should I be successful provincially, I would expect to go into a world where I would have a serious responsibility to help change the direction of this province.”

Even when prodded with the speculation that Ontario will change colours in the next election due to a failing Wynne government, Kramp isn't counting his chickens before they're hatched.

“I learned a long time ago never to be too far into projections on this because the electorate will decide when that time come. It's up to the people like myself and whoever to go ahead and make the case that it is time for that change.”

Kramp is running against Tracy McGibbon for the PC nomination. No other candidates had come forward as of Oct. 4.