While Horwath gets her hair pulled, Ford plays bingo - Action News
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TorontoThe Campaigner

While Horwath gets her hair pulled, Ford plays bingo

After a busy beginning, the campaign is slowing down for its first Sunday there's only a handful of scheduled party events, with the PCs taking the day off entirely. But there's still lots to talk about.

Wynne gets no questions and here's why Ajax is a riding to watch

While out campaigning with NDP candidate Jamie West in Sudbury, Andrea Horwath got her hair pulled by a young fan. (Sebastien St-Francois/Radio-Canada)

After a busy beginning, the campaign is slowing down forits first Sunday there's only a handful of scheduled partyevents, with the PCs taking the day off entirely.

Here's what you need to know for day five.

Headlines

The moment

That wasthe look onLiberal Leader Kathleen Wynne'sface when she found out she didn't have to answer any reporter questions.

Wynnewas at a campaign stopin Toronto on Saturday, talking about funding for developmental services. But when she finished her speech and turned it over for questions, there were none.

She threw up her hands, joking that she "covered it all." It's rare there areno questions asked at all particularly during an election campaign.

She could be heard talking about it off-mic. "That hardly ever happens," she said as she shook hands.

Noted

After playing a game of bingo at a seniors home, Ford trotted out his plan to cover dental care for seniors. But not a single reporter asked about that plan rather, every question asked was to have him clarify his "take care of our own" comment about immigrationfrom Friday's northern leaders' debate.

"Ford Nation is the most diverse group anywhere in Canada," he said. "I'm going to break down a brick wall to make sure I help every single new Canadian."

He asked reporters a few times if theyhad any questions on dental care but no one budged. Fordleft after four questions.

Poll tracker

The PCs maintain their wide lead, whiletheNDPstay ahead of the Liberals in second. Most movement goes to the Liberals who dropped 0.8 per cent.Here's the full breakdown.

Riding to watch

Ajax, population 119,680, by Lucas Powers

This new riding in the "905" a belt of municipalities surrounding Toronto that are increasingly important in the electoral landscape offers a compelling snapshot of the wider race.

The Liberal candidate, Joe Dickson, has served as an MPP in the former riding of Ajax-Pickering since 2007. The new boundaries are arguably a good thing for Dickson, considering he was a long-time councillor in the Liberal-leaning town of Ajax, which accounts for most of the votes in the new riding. He's also cultivated strong support at the grassroots level as a constant presence at local events.

But Dickson faces his most high-profile challenger ever inPC candidate Rod Phillips. Phillips, a former corporate executive and chair of Postmedia, is a party insider who once served as chief of staff to former Toronto mayor Mel Lastman. While it's his first campaign for public office, Phillips' name was once floated as a possible successor to Patrick Brown.

Travel agency owner Monique Hughes is running in the riding for the NDP.

Ajax could be an interesting case study in just how deep voters' appetite for change in this election goes.

Where the leadersare

This map shows where the party leaders have stopped between the campaign launch and May 12. The colours corresponding with the leaders' party: blue for Doug Ford's PCs, orange for Andrea Horwath's New Democrats, green for Mike Schreiner's Greens and red for Kathleen Wynne's Liberals.

This map showsfour days worth of campaign stops. Most of the stops have been in and around Toronto, though Horwathmade it to Sudbury, while Wynne and Ford have both gone to the Ottawa area. Ontario Green Party Leader Mike Schreiner, for his part, is the leader who travelledfurthestsouth to London.

Here's where they are headed today.

  • Ford:No public events
  • Horwath:Campaign event in Toronto (11 a.m.)
  • Schreiner:Campaigning in Guelph (all day)
  • Wynne:Running in Sporting Life 10K (7:15 a.m.), campaign announcement in North York (1p.m.),event in Mississauga (2:30 p.m.) event in Brampton (4:15 p.m.)

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