In a six-way race to represent their riding at the provincial level, Kingstonians have re-elected incumbent Liberal candidate Ted Hsu as their Member of Provincial Parliament (MPP).
With 54,065 Kingston and the Islands residents voting for their next MPP, Hsu won with 33,288 votes—over 21,000 more than runner-up PC Ian Chapelle, who received 12,022. New Democratic Party (NDP) candidate Elliot Goodell Ugalde, a political studies PhD candidate, placed third with 6,663 votes.
Hsu’s supporters watched the votes come in from Downtown Kingston at Mercury Bar & Lounge. Upon his arrival, Hsu greeted his supporters and gave a speech thanking all the people who worked on his campaign, adding his excitement to be back in office.
“I’m very eager to get back to work because we are facing multiple crises. Everything from our health care system, our lack of housing and the cost of housing, the cost of living, to our education system,” Hsu said in his victory speech.
Hsu also referenced issues specifically relating to young people, and how it’s a source of motivation for him.
“Young people today are facing a demographic shift [meaning] there’s a lot less young people to support older people who are retired, there’s a large public debt that you’re inheriting, and on top of that, we have the climate crisis that is going to be a burden especially on young people,” Hsu said.
He answered some direct questions from the media after his victory speech. In an interview with The Journal, he explained some of the concerns he sees students facing.
“I went to visit a food bank for graduate students at Queen’s, and so just the living conditions of students is a concern, and that’s something we can advocate for,” Hsu said. He later added, “it makes sense in my mind to make sure young people have a good start in life, and so subsidizing their education better, I think, makes a lot of sense.”
Hsu was asked how the Liberals will plan to work with the recently re-elected majority Conservative government to tackle the challenges he outlined
“Whether it’s in question period, whether it’s written questions, whether it’s putting the minister on the spot when he’s testifying in committee, we can put forward Private Member’s bills to provide alternatives to the government, we can do press conferences, we can have rallies, there’s a lot of things we can do to draw attention,” Hsu said.
Goodell Ugalde, his campaign team, and his supporters watched from the RCHA Club as the votes came in. Following the riding results around 9:35 p.m., His campaign manager thanked attendees for coming.
The television screen showed Marit Stiles resecuring her seat as Leader of the Official Opposition of Ontario for the NDP, filling the room with cheers and clapping. The Liberals came in third behind the PCs who won their third straight majority government.
Goodell Ugalde gave a speech to the room, noting while the loss wasn’t the desired result, his team is going to “keep fighting.”
“Things are getting progressively worse, and I’m so proud of each and every one of you for refusing to let this moment pass us by without a fight.” He told the room that the next fight is the next provincial campaign, which he plans to start prepping for tomorrow
In an interview with The Journal, Goodell Ugalde emphasized continuing efforts despite the loss. “I’m going to go back to doing what I do best, which is grassroots organizing, depending on whether or not Queen’s University comes to the bargaining table fairly. You’ll see me on the picket line with my brothers and sisters in United Steelworkers (USW) 2010 and Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) 901, and the next campaign starts tomorrow.”
In the 2022 election, Hsu won the seat with 18,354 votes, 3,170 more than second-place NDP candidate Mary Rita Holland
The riding has been historically stronghold for the Ontario Liberal Party, holding the seat for the majority of the last 30 years. The exception came in 2018 when Ian Arthur of the NDP unseated incumbent Liberal Sophie Kiwala. No Progressive Conservative has won since 1981.
Hsu will serve alongside 13 other Liberal MPPs in the provincial government led by Premier Doug Ford.
Tags
Elections 2025, Elliot Goodell Ugalde, kingston and the islands, MPP, Provincial elections, Ted Hsu
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