THUNDER BAY – Joshua Taylor has been tapped by the Conservative Party of Canada to take on Health Minister Patty Hadju in Thunder Bay-Superior North.
Taylor, a native of Geraldton, Ont., said in a release issued on Thursday he’s hoping to bring back a sense of community he feels has been lost over the past six years under Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and the Liberal government.
“As a lifelong resident of the North, I’ve seen the rural areas of Thunder Bay—Superior North neglected and unable to live up to their amazing potential under Liberal and NDP Members of Parliament,” Taylor said.
“When I was growing up in Geraldton, there was a real sense of community. So much of that has been lost because of rising crime and a lack of economic development under this government. I believe that we can have that sense of community again with the right elected representative.”
A graduate of Western University who said he researched Indigenous intergenerational trauma while at school, Taylor said he believes that background would serve him well as a Member of Parliament under the Conservative banner.
Taylor, who worked in southern Ontario before moving back to Northern Ontario three years ago to work for the municipality of Greenstone, is currently the youth engagement facilitator for the tobacco control departments at the Thunder Bay District Health Unit.
Local party leadership welcomed Taylor to the race, which also includes recently announced NDP candidate, lawyer Chantelle Bryson.
“We are looking forward to having Joshua as Thunder Bay—Superior North’s Conservative candidate in the upcoming election. With Joshua, we are confident that we will run a successful campaign and get one step closer to securing the future for the residents of Thunder Bay—Superior North,” said Thunder Bay-Superior-North EDA president Jordan Erickson.
An election has not yet been called, but there is widespread speculation the minority Liberals will pull the trigger this fall. Conservative candidate Frank Pullia finished second to Hajdu in 2019.
