Christine Elliott to depart politics, former York Region politician to run for federal leader

Yorkregion.com
March 7, 2022

The Newmarket-Aurora MPP and Ontario Minister of Health who steered Ontario through the greatest health crisis in years will not run in the next election.

Christine Elliott announced the move on Twitter yesterday, stating that she'd explained to party leader and Premier Doug Ford that she will not be on the ballot when the next election arrives on June 2.

Elliott, 66, has suffered through a stressful term that featured protesters showing up to her home sometimes early in the morning.

In her Twitter statement she thanked her constituents.

"To the people of Newmarket-Aurora, thank you for giving me the opportunity to serve you," the tweet said.

The former wife of former Canadian finance minister Jim Flaherty ran for the leadership three times, losing to Tim Hudak in 2009, Patrick Brown in 2015 and Ford in 2018 who gave Elliott her current role. She won her first election in her home riding of Whitby-Oshawa in 2006.

“I’m very grateful that Christine’s going to stay on until the election and help us get through this pandemic, as we’re coming out of it slowly,” he said.

The PCs quickly announced Dawn Gallagher Murphy, a consultant who has been Elliott’s community office manager in Newmarket-Aurora, will be the party’s candidate in the riding.

Meanwhile former Aurora-Oak Ridges-Richmond Hill MP Leona Alleslev has added her name to the list of politicians running for federal leader of the Conservative party.

Alleslev, a former captain in the air force, was first elected as a Liberal MP before dramatically crossing the floor in 2018 to the Conservatives.

She lost the seat in the last election under the leadership of Erin O'Toole.