«We are proud to have a strong candidate like Stéphane on our PC team,» said Brian Patterson, Ontario PC Party president.
Sarrazin said he was the only party member in the riding to seek the nomination.
Mayor since 2018 and, since December, warden of the United Counties of Prescott-Russell, Sarrazin says there has been a lot of discussion among elected officials in the area about the lack of representation at Queen’s Park and the fact that there has been little action over the last term. The mayor’s name was brought up as the ideal candidate to represent Glengarry-Prescott-Russell. Having the support of his peers motivated him to take the leap.
For Sarrazin, the main issues are: getting internet in rural areas, widening Highway 174 and affordable housing. He believes that the French language in Queen’s Park is important and that there is always room for improvement. However, he says he sees progress with the work done by the Minister for Francophone Affairs and Minister of Transport Caroline Mulroney. All he wants is to have a better representation of rural issues and to show that they are very different from those of the city or the suburbs.
During an official election period, the mayor will have to step aside temporarily. If elected, he will represent the riding, currently represented by Liberal Amanda Simard, in Toronto. If he is not elected on June 2, 2022, he plans to try his luck again as mayor by seeking a new mandate in the municipal election of October 24, 2022. He is also confident of winning votes usually reserved for Liberals.
