Will just under 90 days till the next Ontario General Election, The Ontario NDP is left looking for a new candidate in the Toronto riding of Beaches-East York.
Member of Provincial Parliament Rima Berns-McGown has announced that her name will not be on the ballot in the June election. "It has been an extraordinary honour to represent the people of Beaches-East York and to fight alongside Andrea Horwath and the Ontario NOP to make life better for everyone in Ontario, and I am grateful for every moment of the past four years."
Berns-McGown is a self-described introverted person said that the public eye has been hard on her, "Because I am a deeply introverted person, this job takes an enormous toll. For my well-being, I've decided not to run for re-election.
"This decision was difficult to make because I am so proud of the work we've been able to do in Beaches-East York," She added. "We kept people housed during the pandemic and got eviction notices overturned; forced rapacious landlords to back down; and put the Ford government and Metrolinx on notice over its callous treatment of our beloved Small's Creek."
Berns-McGown was first elected in 2018 after defeating former Liberal MPP Authur Potts. Before being elected Berns-McGown taught Diaspora Studies at the University of Toronto.
The Beaches-East York MPP is the fourth NDP MPP to announce their retirement from politics ahead of the next election. Others include Percy Hatfield (Windsor-Tecumseh), Taras Natyshak (Essex), and Ian Arthur (Kingston and the Island).
To date, 18 MPPS are set to retire from office as of the next general election. The next general election is set for June.