He ran for the Ontario legislature in the
1987 provincial election, but finished third in the central Ontario riding of
Muskoka—Georgian Bay against
Liberal Ken Black. The NDP won a
majority government in the
1990 provincial election and Waters was elected for the riding on his second try. He defeated
Progressive Conservative Marilyn Rowe by just under 3,000 votes; Black finished third. Waters served as a
parliamentary assistant from 1990 to 1995. In 1994, Waters was one of twelve NDP members to vote against
Bill 167, a bill extending financial benefits to same-sex partners. Premier
Bob Rae allowed a free vote on the bill which allowed members of his party to vote with their conscience. The NDP were defeated in the
1995 provincial election, and Waters was defeated in his bid for re-election, finishing third against Progressive Conservative
Bill Grimmett. He ran for the NDP again in the
1999 provincial election, but finished a distant third against PC candidate (and future
Premier of Ontario)
Ernie Eves in the redistributed riding of
Parry Sound-Muskoka. In 2000, he unsuccessfully campaigned for a municipal seat in
Lake of Bays Township. After the 1999 election, Waters changed his affiliation from the NDP to the Liberal Party. For the
2003 provincial election, he won the Parry Sound–Muskoka Liberal nomination over Evelyn Brown and challenged Progressive Conservative incumbent
Norm Miller, who had succeeded Eves in a
by-election. Although the Liberals won a majority government provincially, Waters lost to Miller by more than 5,000 votes. ==Electoral record==