Who will you vote for on Oct. 10th?

Editor's Note: Here are all the candidates' profiles for the Kenora-Rainy River Riding. The election is next Wednesday, October, 10th.

Howard Hampton
New Democratic Party
(Incumbent)
Howard Hampton is the Leader of the Ontario New Democratic Party, a post he has held since June 22, 1996. He acquired his taste for politics early as the son of a mill worker in a community where strong trade union principles prevail.
The Member of Provincial Parliament for Kenora-Rainy River was first elected in 1987. In addition to being Leader he is also NDP critic for Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. Mr. Hampton previously served as the Minister of Natural Resources from 1993-1995 and as Attorney General of Ontario from 1990-1993 in Ontario’s first NDP government.
Prior to serving as an elected Member and Party Leader, Howard Hampton worked as a labour lawyer for the Canadian Labour Congress and in private practice in Fort Frances. He also worked for the Blakeney government in Saskatchewan, and as a teacher in southern and northern Ontario.
In law, he focused on defending the rights of working people and getting management to play fair. He earned his law degree from the University of Ottawa, his Bachelor of Education degree from the University of Toronto and his Bachelor of Arts degree from Dartmouth College in New Hampshire.
A gifted hockey player and all-around sports enthusiast, Mr. Hampton is passionate about the importance of providing community activities for youth and quality public services for all.
Born in 1952, Howard is married to Nickel Belt MPP, Shelley Martel. They have two young children, a daughter, Sarah and a son, Jonathan.
Howard feels the most important issue facing our community is the issue of fairness for working families. That means working hard to ensure that there are good paying jobs in the region, so that our children will be able to stay in their home communities and raise their own families here.
It means fair wages, so that everyone has a chance to get ahead, it means fair taxation so that Ontarians aren’t overly burdened with an unfair, regressive health tax. Really it means fairness for working Ontario families who play by the rules.

Jo Jo (Janis) Holiday
Green Party
Jo Jo (Janis) Holiday, 43, is a homeopathic practitioner with her own private practice in Kenora.
She has been employed with the Keewatin Patricia School Board as an education assistant working with students with special needs for the past ten years and still retains a part time position with this board.
She is finishing up her bachelor’s and is working toward her master’s in Divinity through the University of Metaphysical Science.
In her youth and early twenties she competed and taught ballroom dancing professionally and now teaches evening group classes in Kenora.
She is a single mother of two children, both of whom are healthy and vibrant. She has been a vegetarian for 20 years now and passes on this lifestyle and awareness of food to my children.
She leads an active lifestyle, regularly cycling to work and running with her dog.
She feels blessed to live in the northern wilderness of the Boreal forest and partake in its beauty in the way of hiking as many times a week as possible.
Meditation and yoga are important parts of her life as well as breathing and promoting peace.
After studying for her doctorate in Homeopathy and through her studies at the metaphysical level she knew she needed to start advocating for the Great Mother Earth. “We are a race of humans and we all need to collect ourselves for a clearer way of life and a healthier planet. This job is completely up to us. Together we can fix the disasters in the world and make the planet a better place to live for the next thousands of generations. But change needs to take place. People need to be made aware of the choices they are making about their basic needs in life, such as food, shelter and clothing.”

Penny
Lucas
Progressive Conservative Party
While education and work have given her a lot of skills, Penny’s extracurricular activities have given her the most satisfactory and beneficial experiences.
Through her involvement with various organizations and committees she has learned a lot about this area and the people who live and visit here. She has learned what some of their dreams and needs are. But the most important thing she has learned is one person can make a difference.
Penny is the eldest and only daughter of seven children. She has two children and four grandchildren.
She grew up in Pellatt, attended Keewatin Public School and graduated with a Business Diploma from Beaver Brae Secondary School. She also completed courses through Confederation College in Word Perfect, Computerized Bookkeeping, MYOB and Entrepreneurial Development.
She has a diploma in Interior Decorating and Design and has taken correspondence courses through the University of Toronto in Communications, Business Law and Administration.
Penny’s work experiences include everything from receptionist to staff supervisor to office manager. She has even spent some time as a construction labourer, a by-law enforcement officer and a re-upholstery apprentice.
Penny will work for the people of Kenora-Rainy River to bring honesty back to Queen’s Park.

Mike
Wood
Liberal Party
Having spent the last 20 years in the forestry industry Mike Wood feels he understands the economy of the Kenora-Rainy River riding.
While he grew up in Southern Ontario, Wood first came to this region with the Ontario Junior Rangers program and fell in love with the region. He decided to take his summer job and make it a career.
Investing $5,000 of his own money, he started a tree growing and planting business and has seen over 150 million of his trees planted in Northwestern Ontario over the past 20 years.
Wood became active in municipal politics when he was frustrated with government. As a city councillor in Dryden he travelled as far up the political food chain as possible getting things changed for the betterment of his community. But he could not go far enough to effect changes for his liking. So he decided to run for the provincial government. “It was like trying to eat ice cream through a car window. You can see it but can’t taste it.”
Wood said that he feels the Liberal party is the only party that can help the forestry industry turn things around in this region. He points to the party’s record of lowering energy costs and investing in the industry. He also feels that there is great potential for the industry to change. “Working with the industry on new value added products is key.”
Wood said that the region needs an MPP that lives here and that has a vision. He also feels the region needs a MPP that is in government. “We have sat on the outside for so long.”
Wood has a daughter,10, and a son, 8, that live in Dryden.
Wood said the PC plans for tax cuts will hurt social programs like education and health care. “The McGinty government has the same standards of health care and education no matter where you live in Ontario.”
Wood pledges to be a strong voice for the region by bringing together and working together with the people of Kenora-Rainy River to effect positive change rather than playing the blame game.