Candidates optimistic about chances of winning federal byelection in York-Simcoe

Monday's byelection in the York-Simcoe riding will see thePeople's Party of Canada (PPC) and Conservatives squaring off in a Tory-held riding for the very first time.

Nine candidates are vying to replace Peter Van Loan as the new federal Member of Parliament for the ridingand all eyes will be onthe PPCto seehow many votes they take away from the Conservatives, and whether it would be enough to tip the riding toward the Liberals or NDP.

Van Loan, a member of the Conservative Party, announced his retirement in September after 14 years as the representative of the riding long considered a Tory stronghold.

Scot Davidson, the new Conservative Party candidate, saidhe's feeling confident.

"This is really a referendum on the Liberal government," said Davidson, a local entrepreneur from the town ofGeorgina.

The York-Simcoe riding was one of three federal byelections called by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Jan. 9.

Davidson has positioned himself as a businessman looking to apply his skills inhelping industries grow, with a keen interest in supporting agriculture.

"Let's face it, this riding being so close toTorontois a place where farmers themselves want to expand and look at even food processing. It's something that I can bring to the table and help facilitate," Davidson said.

He says he's not worried about being new to politics but rathersees it as an asset, insisting that he has "young legs,I'm ready to run."

Liberal candidate ShaunTanakawent head-to-head against Van Loan in the last federal election but fell short.

This time, the mother of two says she's back and has a better chance than ever.

"We increased the Liberal voter turnout by 400 per cent," she told CBC News, referring to the last federal election.

"When I asked the family whetherI should take this on again because it's a big ask of the entire family, the boys said to me, 'You totally should, because this time you're going to win.'"

Tanakasaid she isn't worried about the SNCLavalinscandal currentlyplaguingthe prime minister.

"I am really focused onYork-Simcoe, because that's where I'm running.And I'm not hearing it at the doors," she said.

"What I'm hearing at the doors [is] that it's hard to raise a family. I'm hearing at the doors that they are concerned about the health of Lake Simcoe," saidTanaka, adding that "I want to be that voice in Ottawa."

NDP candidateJessaMcLeansays she's the voice of the working class.

"We have a lot of precariously employed people," she said. "Our job market is, either you're commuting [to the city] for a half decent paying job or you're staying here and earning very little."

She's a community organizer in the region and a champion of the "$15 and Fairness" campaign to push the minimum wage to $15 an hour.

"Our housing rates have gone up the most in terms of Ontario," she said.

"Rentals are up 56 per cent while our wages are only up 11 per cent."

People's Party of Canada debut

Thisbyelectionis also the PPC's debut at the polls, and an out-of-towner ex-Torontoprosecutor RobertGeurts is its candidate.

"The project right now is to get the word out. We are a national party," he said.

Ex-conservative MPMaximeBernierfounded the partyafter losing the federal Conservative leadership nod to Andrew Scheer.

"Scot Davidson has no plan really to change anything. He's going to stick to Mr. Scheer's plan," saidGeurts, explaining their focus on courting millennial voters.

"That generation is so bright, and so exciting. [They] haven't been corrupted yet," he said.

"That's where I thinkBernierhas sort of said, 'Listen, our platform is unfinished because there's some really exciting things we can do if we don't burden ourselves with the old baggage of before."'

Monday's byelection comes three months after municipal electionsand six months before thefederal election in October.

The Green Party's candidate in the York-Simcoe byelection is Matt Lund.