North Glengarry mayor announces bid for provincial deputy post

North Glengarry Mayor Grant Crack has thrown the proverbial hat into the ring for the upcoming provincial election.

Crack, currently in his eighth year as the township's mayor, called a press conference on Monday, June 13 to announce he will present himself as a provincial Liberal Party candidate for Glengarry-Prescott-Russell.

"I feel that taking this next step is a natural progression for me," he told a small crowd gathered at the Sandfield Centre in Alexandria.

"As your MPP, I will bring my municipal government and management experience to the provincial level, to serve all the residents and taxpayers - and municipalities - in Glengarry-Prescott-Russell. I want to continue my work for the entire region."

Crack noted he was fortunate to have worked alongside council members in North Glengarry, as well as in the town of Alexandria for three years, as together they helped bring financial support for projects related to the local hospital, sports facilities and, most recently, the regional water pipeline project.

"I believe I've proven myself to be a listener and a consensus builder, and that I'm able to make the challenging decisions required to move forward," he added. "My colleagues on the North Glengarry council are supporting my bid to represent the region at a provincial level."

If elected, the mayor said he would work to ensure that local municipalities continue to receive "their fair share" of funding by, among other things, ensure that provincial responsibilities continue to be uploaded to the province instead of downloaded to municipalities.