Ted Hsu, newly elected MPP for Kingston and the Islands riding, speaking to the Rotary Club of Kingston, in response to a question on how he would revitalize the Liberal Party of Ontario, said “Personally, I am exploring the idea of running for the leadership myself.”
He went on to say that “In politics all you can really do is what you can communicate to voters, so the better you know the people, the better you are at explaining things to people, that’s the fundamental need of the Liberal Party”.
In his formal address Hsu focused on three areas.
- Getting his offices and staff up and running.
- Identifying and studying the key areas which will face the legislature.
- His approach to politics.
Getting organized
Ted has been focusing on setting up his office, training staff and providing services to his constituents. The Liberals have recently selected a new interim leader for the Liberal party and are determining the responsibilities for each caucus member. “Given there are only 8 of them it will be hard to cover all legislative areas,” he said.
Key Areas
Ted believes many individuals are looking for assistance dealing with the provincial government.
For him, major issues include housing, the rising cost of living and health care.
More affordable housing is required, particularly for low-income families and individuals with disabilities.
Long-term care homes are being built but other alternatives may be more cost effective.
Senior services were also a concern as many older people do not have a family support network to assist them.
Health care capacity is a critical issue as health care workers are burning out. Many are leaving the profession. “Burnout is real!” he said. He believes, health care cuts have hurt the health system and locally, a shortage of family doctors limits the ability of Kingston to attract new business and young families.
Approach to Politics
Hsu described his approach to politic as advocating for a fact-based approach to determining the best path forward. He described his approach to issues is one of scientific humility; are we correct, can we do better? However, Ted acknowledged that competing parties have difficulty agreeing on the facts and often advocate different realities.
Ted Hsu (pronounced SHOE) is a scientist by profession. He grew up in Kingston and continues to live here with his wife and two daughters. His previous role in politics was as a Member of Parliament where he was elected in 2011.
Watch and Listen to Ted Hsu's talk
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