Ontario Progressive Conservatives in Lambton-Kent-Middlesex have selected a long-time Chatham-Kent councillor as their candidate in the upcoming byelection.
Steve Pinsonneault beat out Chief of the Middlesex London Paramedic Service Neal Roberts to take the nomination in a vote held at the Caradoc Sands Golf Club on Saturday. Both candidates delivered speeches before the voting commenced. Pinsonneault was announced as the winner shortly after 2 p.m.
"There’s nothing more important than the health and prosperity of our residents,” Pinsonneault said in a statement. “I’m running with the Ontario PC Party in order to continue building the Wallaceburg hospital, create good-paying local jobs and fight to make life more affordable for the people of our community.”
Pinsonneault has served as Ward 3 councillor in East Kent since 2006. The husband and father of three lives in Thamesville, is a small business owner, and a volunteer firefighter.
“Steve Pinsonneault is the right candidate to stand up for the people of Lambton—Kent—Middlesex against the high-tax, low-growth policies of the Liberals and NDP,” said Michael Diamond, the president of the Ontario PC Party. “As a member of the Ontario PC team at Queen’s Park, Steve will keep fighting to bring high-quality health care, good-paying jobs and better highways and infrastructure to southwestern Ontario.”
The riding of Lambton-Kent-Middlesex has been a Conservative stronghold since 2011. That is when former MPP Monte McNaughton won the seat. McNaughton, who also served as the province's labour minister, stepped down last fall to take a job in the private sector.
A byelection to replace McNaughton has to be called before the end of March - six months after he resigned.
McNaughton was quick to offer his congratulations to Pinsonneault on Saturday.
"Steve will make an excellent Member of Provincial Parliament and be a strong voice on the @fordnation team at Queen’s Park for our riding," McNaughton posted to X, the social media platform formally known as Twitter.
The provincial Liberals, NDP, and the Green Party have yet to hold nomination meetings to select candidates for the spring byelection in Lambton-Kent-Middlesex.