Trillium Party of Ontario


The Trillium Party of Ontario is a right-wing populist, social conservative political party in the Canadian province of Ontario. Founded in 2014, the party is led by Bob Yaciuk.

History

First contesting the 2014 General Election, the Trillium Party ran two candidates and received 397 votes.
The Trillium Party gained its first member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario after Jack MacLaren, the Progressive Conservative MPP for Carleton—Mississippi Mills announced he had joined the party on May 28, 2017, after being removed from the PC caucus for making negative remarks about Francophones in Ontario. Since the Trillium Party lacked official party status, MacLaren was listed as an independent by the Legislature.
Following MacLaren's defection, the Trillium Party saw an increase in media attention as this marked the first time a party other than the Liberals, Progressive Conservatives, or New Democrats had maintained representation at Queen's Park since Robert Wayne Gibson sat as a Liberal-Labour MPP for Kenora in 1966. At the time of MacLaren's defection, party leader Bob Yaciuk informed the media the party had "between 1,200 and 1,400 members". The party was reduced back to zero seats when MacLaren, running in the new riding of Kanata—Carleton, did not win personal re-election in the 2018 provincial election.

Policies

The Trillium Party outlines a number of priorities, focusing on health care, education policy, and policing.
Trillium Party policy calls for monthly health care statements, reduction in time between application and granting of practising licences for medical professionals from overseas, involving parents in education issues, and increasing financial support for police. Additional policies have included introducing legislation on referenda, addressing corruption through the office of the Auditor General, implementing whistle-blower protection legislation, allowing free votes by MPPs in the legislature, and opposing updates to the province's sexual education curriculum.

Election results

Election yearNo. of
overall votes		% of
overall total		No. of
candidates who ran		No. of
seats won		+/−Government
20143970.01New Party
20188,1780.14+0.13

In the 2014 provincial election, the Trillium Party nominated 2 candidates: party leader Bob Yaciuk in Newmarket-Aurora and Gennady Vilensky in Oak Ridges—Markham. In total, the party won a total of 397 votes.