The Essex NDP candidate is looking to the turn the riding orange once again.
Rachael Mills held her first campaign stop alongside Ontario NDP Leader Marit Stiles on Thursday evening at the Beerded Dog Brewing Co. in Harrow where they were welcomed by dozens of supporters.
While Mills has many key topics of interest for the riding, the 31-year-old states that affordable housing and accessible healthcare is top of mind.
Meanwhile, Stiles says she will not let threats of tariffs by U.S. President Donald Trump stop her from fighting for Ontarians.
Ontario PC Leader Doug Ford officially called for a snap election on Tuesday, January 28, with Ontarians heading to the polls on February 27.
Mills says she's deeply concerned with the direction and tone being set locally and across the province.
"We're not listening with intention, and we're not acting with integrity, and I think that that reflects in the current government that we have in this area, and in Ontario. So I may not have the most experience in this particular realm, but I do promise my full commitment to work extremely hard."
She says the next four weeks will be busy - but she's ready.
"I think we were expected to be caught off guard, and I think that's what the goal was, but the call to action I did feel a sense of personal responsibility, and it is a deep honour and pleasure to be in this spot right now."
Mills adds that there are many issues that are top of mind.
"Healthcare is a big one, I heard that from all of my neighbours. Affordability is something I hear often and affects me as well. Education needs to be more robust, and it needs to be a safe place for all of our students to really prepare them for the future. The environment is also a huge passion of mine."
Meanwhile, Stiles says by calling for an election, Ford has quit as Premier of Ontario.
"I am running to be Premier of this province, I am going to be asking for everybody's support to elect a government that is on the side of Ontarians. And look, after seven long years of Doug Ford and the Conservatives, life is so much harder for so many people in this province, and that is what this election is going to be about."
She says life is very hard for Ontarians.
"People cannot find a family doctor, people can't find affordable housing, the cost of everything is just through the roof, and our kids schools - kids are really suffering right now. So, I want to fight for something better."
Stiles says she's ready to fight if Trump comes after the province, and the country.
"I'm going to fight for every single job in every single sector in this province. And I don't actually think that Doug Ford can negotiate his way out of a paper bag. So, we're going to fight hard for every job."
Mills grew up in Essex County, living in LaSalle before recently moving to Harrow.
She is currently part of the Affordable Housing Task Force.
Currently, Anthony Leardi is MPP for the riding of Essex, and he is running as the PC candidate for that riding again. Leardi was elected to the riding in 2022, and was the first PC member for the area since 1959.