Horwath 'absolutely' supports NDP candidate who held anti-police sign in 2006

Election day is now just nine days away, and the leaders continue to make announcements on the campaign trail.

NDPLeader Andrea Horwath announced this morning that her party will offer every worker three weeks vacation after one year of service, instead of just two weeks.

Meanwhile, Liberal LeaderKathleen Wynneannounced this morning her party will keep its commitment to theJobs and Prosperity Fund, whichhelps businesses and entrepreneurs get funding for projects.

And PC Leader Doug Ford was at a retirement home in Port Colborne this morning and continued his criticisms of the NDP.

Here's where we are on day 21.

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• NDP, PCs looking to northern Ontario for seat gains
  • For two elections in a row, the provincial New Democrats have won the most seats and the most support in northern Ontario. Also, as CBCpolling analysist Eric Grenierwrites, the region could play an important role in the formation of government.

The moment

Horwath defends candidate on vulgar sign against police

6 years ago

Duration 1:09

Andrea Horwath defends her Brampton-East candidate for a controversial sign he was photographed holding a few years ago.

NDPLeader Andrea Horwathis once again coming to the defence of one of her candidates.

Photos surfaced online of Brampton-East NDP candidateGurratan Singh, brother of federal NDP party LeaderJagmeetSingh,holding a sign that uses vulgar language towardthe police. Singh was photographed holding the sign at demonstration in downtown Toronto back in 2006.

Horwathwas asked about it Tuesday and said the sentiment on the sign is "despicable." She said Singh now regrets holding it.

"Gurratan has turned his life around since his early 20s when he was holding that sign," she said.

"He, in fact, then went to law school and now actually upholds the law and the justice system as opposed to rallying against it."

Horwathreiterated she "absolutely" still supports Singh and repeated that he is "not of those opinions anymore."

Poll Tracker

Doug Ford's PCs and Andrea Horwath's New Democrats are effectively tied, with polls either showing the PCs narrowly ahead or the NDP narrowly ahead. Here's the break down.

Riding to watch

Glengarry-Prescott-Russell, population 109,975, profile by Elyse Skura

While Glengarry-Prescott-Russell is mostly rural, the largely Francophone population has been loyal to the Liberals for more than three decades. But the party's hold on the riding loosened when Grant Crack opted not to seek re-election.

The Liberal candidate is Pierre Leroux, the mayor of Russell Township. Before official campaigning began he created tension in the Ottawa Liberal ranks, posting a "get to know me" cartoon on Facebook that depicted the party-loyal Vanier neighbourhood as run down and crime-ridden.

The PCs are represented by Amanda Simard, a councillor in Russell Township, who got the nomination under Patrick Brown after an opponent was disqualified.

The campaign heated up earlier this month when a local PC volunteer, and Brown supporter, issued a public letter decrying the current party "tactics" and throwing her support behind Leroux. Meanwhile, the Conservatives say she was never part of the campaign team.

Far from the fray is NDP candidate Bonnie Jean-Louis, the only one of the three with experience running in the riding. She took home 14 per cent of the vote in 2011.

Campaign question

Here's a questionfrom Arichuna C:

"In your poll map page you suffix it with 'the PCs still have a better regional distribution of that vote and so are favoured to win more seats.'Where are the backup details to this statement and which ridings are the crucial ones affecting the outcome?"

Here's an answer from CBC'spolling analyst Eric Grenier:

This is based on how the PC vote has traditionally broken down in the province and where the party is polling strongly. You can see the various regional projections in the "How has the forecast changed" section of the Poll Tracker.

You'll see there that the PCs are able to win about twice as many seats as the NDP in the GTA-Hamilton-Niagara region despite having only a small lead in the polls in that region. This is because the PCs are starting from a higher base in the GTA a gain of 5-10 points puts them in a position to win a seat, while the NDP might need a 15-20 point gain just to be competitive in some ridings.

Have a campaign question? We'll get answers.Send them tothecampaigner@cbc.ca.

Where the leaders are

Ford: Announcement at retirement home in Port Colborne(10:45 a.m.), Rally in Welland (6 p.m.)
Horwath: Announcement at North York co-op building (9 a.m.) Campaign event at candidate officein Brantford(1 p.m.),Campaign event at candidate officein Stratford (3 p.m.), Campaign event at restaurant in Chatham-Kent (6 p.m.)
Schreiner:Announcement in Kitchener (10 a.m.)
Wynne: Announcement in Oakville (10 a.m.), Visit Jump For Joy Play Centre (3 p.m.)

We're tracking the Ontario leaders on the campaign trail.See where they have stopped.

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