VOTE 2022: Michael Tibollo victorious in Vaughan-Woodbridge over Liberal leader Steven Del Duca

Yorkregion.com
June 3, 2022

Well that didn't take long and in the end it wasn't even close.

Incumbent Progressive Conservative MPP Michael Tibollo was declared the winner of the much-hyped contest in Vaughan-Woodbridge.

The race saw Steve Del Duca, the leader of the provincial Liberals, who lost his seat in the riding to Tibollo in 2018, go up against him again.

Although polls suggested Del Duca would lose the rematch, the numbers appeared quite close up until the end.

However, the numbers looked quite different come election night with Tibollo waltzing to victory in the battleground riding.

As for the provincial numbers, the Del Duca-led Ontario Liberals failed to win enough seats to become the official opposition. Instead, the NDP will remain in that role.

Del Duca announced his resignation as Liberal leader once the election result became clear. NDP leader Andrea Horwath said she too will be stepping down.

Although neither Tibollo nor Del Duca could be reached for comment by Yorkregion.com, Vaughan-Woodbridge resident, former journalist and political commentator, Elvira Caria, spoke about the dynamics in the riding.

"I'm going to say I don't think it was a surprise (in terms of outcome)," she said. "I am surprised at the numbers, or lack of numbers, for Del Duca."

While Caria said she believes Del Duca did a decent job of speaking about hot topics ahead of the vote -- including the controversial Hwy. 413, affordable housing and the former Ontario Municipal Board -- he did not provide alternatives and quickly became the "party of no."

"He said he wasn't going to do this, he wasn't going to do that and I don't think that sat well with people," she said. "He said 'no no' rather than providing any solutions."

Caria went on to suggest the defining issue for Del Duca was his lack of relatability and the fact that he wasn't able to resonate with the people of Vaughan-Woodbridge.

"Personality plays 100 per cent into someone's decision," she said. "I know Steven, he's a good man. How do you teach personality? How do you teach charisma? You can't."

As for Tibollo, although she recognized that he is good in the community, she believes that it was the PC party that won him the election.