Incumbent candidate Belinda Karahalios has faced some tough challenges in her short time in the political arena.
She won the Cambridge riding in April of 2018 running as a Progressive Conservative Party candidate with a desire to steer the party in the right direction.
“Every day I get to serve the people of the riding of Cambridge as their MPP is a privilege and an honour,” said Karahalios, no longer an independent and now running to win her seat back at Queen's Park as a candidate for the New Blue Party.
Her husband, Jim Karahalios, is co-founder and leader of the New Blue, and faced his own uphill battle in politics.
The former PC activist was sued by the PCs and removed by former leader Patrick Brown after exposing problems within the party's nomination process. But he ended up winning the lawsuit.
In 2019 Belinda brought in a private member’s bill against voter fraud in internal party elections, but was met with hostility from some of her colleagues at Queen's Park.
Shortly after, Jim announced he was running for the leadership of the Conservative Party of Canada in 2020 but was disqualified around the same time Belinda was beginning to butt heads with fellow MPs over moves to implement pandemic restrictions.
In July of that year, Premier Doug Ford introduced Bill 195, also known as the lockdown bill.
Karahalios was the only PC MPP to vote against it. Soon after she was forced to leave the PC caucus and was removed from the party.
It forced the couple to ask themselves a difficult question.
“Jim asked me if I wanted to leave political life and I took some time to think about it. We were faced with a decision, leave politics or start something new,” Karahalios said.
This is when Belinda and Jim came up with the idea for the New Blue Party of Ontario. The party was officially registered January 7, 2021 upon receiving support from across the province.
Prior to being ousted from the PC caucus, Karahalios worked to create more democratic processes within the PC party, in 2019 she brought in a private member’s bill to stamp out voter fraud in internal party elections, but was met with some hostility by her own party.
She said she also met hostility locally after opposing a Consumption and Treatment Services site in Cambridge on behalf of constituents who voiced opposition to the controversial harm reduction program.
Her recent vote against Bill 67, the Racial Equity in the Education System Act, also stirred up harsh criticism.
But none of it has shaken her resolve.
Karahalios credits her family for her motivation to keep fighting. Her parents and siblings have remained very supportive over the last four years.
Before she entered politics, she spent two years raising their son Victor.
Prior to that, Karahalios worked for the Kidney Foundation of Canada, working on fundraising and support programs for patients.
She and Jim have lived in Cambridge for close to nine years, choosing it as the city they want to raise their family in.
“I love downtown Galt and its beautiful, old architecture. We have so many great places to eat in Cambridge, but Hungry Ninja and Capri Pizza are frequent stops for me.”
When Karahalios isn’t working, she enjoys visiting parks around the city, as well as reading, cooking and spending time with her family above all else.
“Without my husband, Jim, I could not be doing what I am doing. He has supported me through the challenging times and working together on the New Blue Party has strengthened our relationship. And, of course, our son Victor reminds me what matters most.”
