«I’ve been using a lot of my spare time to research the area and its issues,» said Alicia Eglin, during a Monday morning phone interview.
The 23-year-old Ottawa resident was confirmed May 3 as the NDP candidate for Glengarry-Prescott-Russell. She is from Ottawa’s Centretown district and works in the hospitality industry.
«It comes down to the sheer amount of issues,» Eglin said, regarding why she decided to become an NDP candidate. «There are lots of issues that I care about.»
Eglin criticized the Ford Progressive Conservative government for «mishandling» the provincial response to the pandemic over the past two years, including the impact on Ontario’s health care system. For the GPR riding itself, Eglin noted that access to public transit, more affordable housing, and continued improvements to regional health care serves are key issues.
«A lot of the issues in the riding are similar to a lot of issues in other ridings,» she said.
During her research on the riding, Eglin noted two specific issues for Glengarry-Prescott-Russell are francophone language rights and also concerns over the planned cement plant project near L’Orignal.
