In CTV’s third installment of candidate profiles ahead of the upcoming Sault Ste. Marie provincial by-election set for next week, we take a look at the NDP candidate Joe Krmpotich.
Pounding the pavement and meeting the voters has been Krmpotich’s life for the past couple of months.
After years of saying no to the NDP, he finally accepted an offer to run provincially in the Sault.
“One of the reasons why I didn't run, in prior provincial or even federal elections, was because of my family,” said Krmpotich.
“I needed to stay home with my family and help bring them up, and make sure everything was ok with them, and when I was approached recently and I said ‘you know what I’m not going to say to myself for the rest of my life', would've…could've...should've."
So, with his two children grown up and out of school, he decided to run.
Krmpotich is hoping his deep ties to the community and the steel industry will help him get elected.
"I’m a third generation steel worker, born and raised in Sault Ste. Marie, educated in Sault Ste. Marie at Algoma University."
For the past twenty years, Krmpotich has taken a leadership role with the steelworkers union at Essar Steel Algoma, and he has been a city councillor for the previous seven years.
He told CTV what he has learned in those roles over the past two decades will help him at Queens Park, if he's elected.
"My experience will help me because they taught me leadership. I’ve been taught leadership, how to get things done and who to talk to. That’s the leadership we're talking about."
When asked if he was in the race for the long haul; he answered yes.
Krmpotich said if he doesn’t win the by-election on June 1st, he still plans on representing the party again, in the province-wide election in 2018.
On Friday, CTV airs our final feature ahead of the by-election; this time the focus will be on Green Party candidate Kara Flannigan.
