From: Leader's Office <leader@gpo.ca>
Date: Fri, Feb 28, 2025 at 6:13 PM
Subject: Re: RE The local MPP who made Doug Ford eat his words
To: David Amos <david.raymond.amos333@gmail.com>
Hello David,
Thank you for your email. You have reached the office of the Leader of the Ontario Greens.
If you live in Guelph and are trying to reach Mike Schreiner, please contact mschreiner-co@ola.org, or call 519-836-4190.
Please note that we receive a lot of correspondence so it may take several days for us to respond.
If you are emailing from the media please call us at 888-647-3366 or email us at media@gpo.ca
Thank you once again for contacting me
Mike Schreiner
Leader
Green Party of Ontario
Date: Fri, Feb 28, 2025 at 6:13 PM
Subject: Automatic reply: RE The local MPP who made Doug Ford eat his words
To: David Amos <david.raymond.amos333@gmail.com>
(le français suit)
Hello;
Thank you for your email. It has been received and we are working to respond to all concerns as quickly as possible.
Correspondence regarding membership, tax receipts, contributions and other administrative items are forwarded daily to the relevant internal departments.
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Correspondence addressed to the Leader of Ontario’s New Democrats, or general policy questions are forwarded daily to Queen’s Park. Due to the volume of correspondence received it will take time for a reply, however we do want to ensure you that your concerns are heard and that the Ontario NDP and our Opposition Caucus are doing everything we can to ensure the well-being of all Ontarians at this time.
For updates on the actions of the ONDP Caucus at Queen’s Park please visit
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For media inquiries, please contact media@ndp.on.ca
As this is not a government office we do not have the capacity to address specific constituency concerns or casework. The most effective means of accessing information to address your specific situation that is both current and accurate is through the local offices of your Federal or Provincial elected Member of Parliament.
To
find your MPP (Member of Provincial Parliament for Ontario), please
visit the Ontario Legislative Assembly website – you can enter your
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We are hoping that the information provided above will help address your concerns and allow you to take immediate steps to access support.
Sincerely,
The Ontario NDP Team
Bonjour,
Nous vous remercions de nous avoir fait parvenir un courriel. Nous nous efforçons de répondre à toutes les préoccupations le plus rapidement possible.
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La correspondance adressée à cheffe des néo-démocrates de l’Ontario, ou celle portant sur des questions de politique générale sont transmises quotidiennement à Queen’s Park. En raison du volume reçu, la réponse peut tarder. Mais, nous tenons à vous assurer que vos préoccupations sont entendues et que le NPD de l'Ontario et notre Caucus de l'Opposition font tout ce qui est en leur pouvoir pour assurer le bien-être de tous(toutes) les Ontarien(ne)s en ce moment.
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Pour
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postal pour trouver votre député(e) fédéral(e) ainsi que ses
coordonnées :
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Nous espérons que les informations fournies ci-dessus vous aideront à répondre à vos préoccupations et vous permettront de prendre des mesures immédiates pour obtenir de l’aide.
Cordialement,
L'équipe du NPD de l'Ontario
Date: Fri, Feb 28, 2025 at 6:13 PM
Subject: Automatic reply: RE The local MPP who made Doug Ford eat his words
To: David Amos <david.raymond.amos333@gmail.com>
Thank you for taking the time to write Ontario's NDP.
If you need assistance, please direct your inquiry to one of the email
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{#HS:2863738633-245409#}From: David Amos <david.raymond.amos333@gmail.com>
Date: Fri, Feb 28, 2025 at 6:12 PM
Subject: RE The local MPP who made Doug Ford eat his words
To: <jrobinson@postmedia.com>, premier <premier@ontario.ca>, <kory@rubiconstrategy.com>, <info@on.ndp.ca>, Leader's Office <leader@gpo.ca>, <contact@ontariondp.ca>, <bonnie@ontarioliberal.ca>
Cc: <info@libertarian.on.ca>, <ontariomoderate@gmail.com>, <info@ontarioparty.ca>, <lionelwaynepoizner@gmail.com>, <info@ppont.ca>, <info@progressontario.org>, <stopthenewsexedagenda@gmail.com>, <ontariocentristparty@gmail.com>, <info@ontario-alliance.ca>, <jjod2020@outlook.com>, <northernontarioparty@hotmail.com>, <info@nota.ca>, <info@newblueontario.com>, Freedom Party <feedback@freedomparty.on.ca>, <peter.house@electoralreformparty.ca>, <info@communistpartyontario.ca>
I enjoyed yohr article so here is a little tip for you
Ontario election: The local MPP who made Doug Ford eat his words
'Here we are, ordinary people who have done the extraordinary.'
SIMCOE – Voters gave Haldimand-Norfolk independent MPP Bobbi Ann Brady a resounding endorsement in Thursday night’s provincial election as she easily won a second term and proved Premier Doug Ford wrong.
The ultra-rare non-party politician secured a landslide victory with 33,669 ballots for 63.7 percent of the vote, easily outpacing her closest rival, Norfolk County Mayor Amy Martin, the Tory candidate who despite a rising tide of support for Ford only mustered 12,949 votes.
“Here we are, ordinary people who have done the extraordinary,” Brady told supporters at her campaign headquarters at the former Eli’s Gun and Archery in Simcoe. “Not only have you done it once, you’ve now done it twice.
“Tonight, we celebrate a victory that isn’t just about a win, but the triumph of hope, unity, and the collective power of our great communities here in Haldimand-Norfolk. We know that when we come together with a shared purpose and a common vision there is nothing we cannot achieve.”
A Delhi-area mother of two, Brady called the night a “monumental victory” and said she was “deeply honoured” to represent the Southwestern Ontario riding at Queen’s Park a second time.
Brady spent two decades as an administrative assistant and campaign manager of longtime Tory MPP Toby Barrett but ran as an Independent in 2022 after then-Haldimand County Mayor Ken Hewitt was chosen by Ford to represent the Progressive Conservatives. It proved to be a major mistake by the Tories.
Despite not having major party backing, Brady’s numbers grew significantly from her inaugural campaign three years ago. The 2022 election saw her claim 15,921 ballots and 35 per cent of the vote, a victory she recalled political insiders saying was a fluke.
“I reminded them they were the same people who told us we’d never do it in the first place,” Brady said. “I stand before you with my heart brimming with so many things, most of all, gratitude.”
Ford – who won his third straight majority – and Brady have sparred publicly since, with the most notable instance coming in April 2024 while at Queen’s Park when the premier told Brady: “You won’t have a job next election.”
As a provincial and national kickboxing champion, Brady wasn’t about to back down. “I said in 2022 that courage would be contagious, and look at this room tonight,” Brady said.
Haldimand-Norfolk Progressive Conservative candidate Amy Martin addresses supporters in Delhi after losing the race on Feb. 27, 2025. (Postmedia staff)
Martin, who took a leave as Norfolk County mayor to run in the election, said she was proud of her campaign despite the loss.
“While we may not have won, we didn’t go down without a fight,” Martin said to a few dozen people gathered at Capitol 33 in Delhi.
After Thursday night’s election, the 124-seat Ontario legislature breaks down as follows: 80 Progressive Conservatives, 27 New Democrats, 14 Liberals, two Greens and one Independent – Brady.
From: David Amos <david.raymond.amos333@gmail.com>
Date: Fri, Feb 28, 2025 at 3:39 PM
Subject: Fwd: Methinks King has been reading my emails to Ford et al N'esy Pas?
To: <babrady-co@ola.org>
From: David Amos <david.raymond.amos333@gmail.
Date: Fri, Feb 21, 2025 at 2:14 PM
Subject: Re: Methinks King has been reading my emails to Ford et al N'esy Pas?
To: <info@libertarian.on.ca>, <ontariomoderate@gmail.com>, <info@ontarioparty.ca>, <lionelwaynepoizner@gmail.com>
PCs take Hamilton Mountain for 1st time in 30 years, while NDP win Hamilton Centre
PC Party Leader Doug Ford secures a majority government for 3rd time
See full results for local ridings below.
As NDP incumbents across the Hamilton and Niagara areas held on to their seats this provincial election, the PCs picked up Hamilton Mountain in a surprise win.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford also won his third straight majority government, a win projected within minutes after the polls closed Thursday.
Before the night was over, all polls had been counted in Hamilton Centre, where NDP candidate Robin Lennox won, beating out incumbent and Independent candidate Sarah Jama.
"I'm very excited, I'm very grateful," Lennox told CBC Hamilton at her campaign party on James Street North. "It was a tremendous effort by a lot of the people in this room... I'm just so appreciative and I'm so grateful to everyone who's gone out and voted and supported us."
During her speech to supporters, Lennox thanked Jama for her service and running a strong campaign. Lennox is a family doctor who works with patients with substance use disorders. She said she decided to run for office because she was so frustrated with the PC government.
Lennox ran with the NDP in Hamilton Centre. She celebrated her win with supporters at an event space on James Street North. (Justin Chandler/CBC)
Jama told CBC Hamilton she's "very proud" of her team.
"Even though the results aren't what we wanted, I hold a lot of hope that we did something beautiful in Hamilton Centre," Jama said. "And we definitely paved a way for people to consider doing politics differently."
PC candidate Monica Ciriello won Hamilton Mountain after a close race with the Liberal and NDP candidates. Previously the riding was held by the NDP but there was no incumbent after NDP's Monique Taylor announced she'd run federally.
The last time the PCs won Hamilton Mountain was in 1995.
"I am absolutely thrilled. We have made history here in Hamilton. We have flipped a seat that hasn't been conservative in 30 years," Ciriello told CBC Hamilton.
Ciriello, who was the city's bylaw director until the election campaign, said she wasn't surprised by the results. "I think that the voters have spoken, the voters have never been wrong and I think that they are excited for a change in this riding."
In an interview, NDP candidate Kojo Damptey thanked all Hamilton Mountain residents who went out and voted. His advice to them is to hold their new MPP accountable over the next four years.
Dawn Danko, who ran for the Liberals, said she understands why people may have voted for the PCs. "They feel uncertain and wanted to stick with someone they knew," she said, referring to Ford.
Burlington PC candidate wins late, by only 40 votes
A tight race played out in Hamilton West-Ancaster-Dundas between NDP incumbent Sandy Shaw and PC candidate John Demik. Shortly after 10 p.m., Shaw was projected to win the riding and said she was "proud" to be re-elected.
"It was a nail biter," Shaw said. "I think I was nervously eating carrot sticks just to deal with the nerves."
In Burlington, shortly before 1 a.m., PC incumbent Natalie Pierre finally won the riding — by 40 votes — over Liberal candidate Andrea Grebenc. Three out of 90 polls in the riding remained for much of the night, and the riding was too close to call. After all polls were counted, Pierre had received 24,118 votes, and Grebenc 24,078.
Many PC incumbents held onto their ridings in the region, including Donna Skelly in Flamborough-Glanbrook, Sam Oosterhoff in Niagara West, Will Bouma in Brantford-Brant, Neil Lumsden in Hamilton East-Stoney Creek and Effie Triantafilopoulos in Oakville North-Burlington.
PC
candidates Donna Skelly and Neil Lumsden were both re-elected on
Thursday. Skelly was the incumbent candidate for Flamborough-Glanbrook
and Lumsden for Hamilton East-Stoney Creek. (Samantha Craggs/CBC, Chris Young/Canadian Press)
Lumsden, a former CFL player, said he and his campaign team went into the election planning to "dominate" and that's what they did.
"I'm ecstatic," he told CBC Hamilton Thursday night. "The message is resonating with what the people of Ontario want. We're going to move forward to fix this province on all fronts. We've actually been doing it and will continue to do it."
Skelly said she was very excited, shocked and relieved when the results came in so quickly that showed her win. The first order of business for the Ford government will likely be the next budget, she said.
"The budget is going to reflect what has to happen to protect our workers if there are job losses and creating a plan to tackle the tariffs," Skelly said in an interview.
Haldimand-Norfolk's Brady wins big
In Haldimand-Norfolk, Independent incumbent Bobbi Ann Brady beat out PC candidate Amy Martin, the mayor of Norfolk. Brady received 63.7 per cent of the votes — or 33,669 ballots cast in her favour — the largest share of any candidate in the Hamilton and Niagara area.
Independent incumbent Bobbi Ann Brady, at centre with flowers, beat out PC candidate Amy Martin, the mayor of Norfolk. (Submitted by Bobbi Ann Brady)
She told CBC Hamilton she was "astounded" by the amount of support and number of people who "enjoy their independent voice and are standing up for democracy."
"They like the fact I speak up and stand up to heavy development and I fight to retain that rural way of life we're accustomed to," she said.
The election was a test for the New Democrats in the Hamilton and Niagara regions on whether they could keep a slew of ridings they won last provincial election.
Niagara Falls NDP incumbent Wayne Gates held on to his riding, as did St. Catharines NDP incumbent Jennie Stevens and Niagara Centre NDP incumbent Jeff Burch.
In an interview, Stevens said she was "so thrilled" the residents of St. Catharines elected her for the third time in a row. She noted little had changed this election in terms of party riding wins and questioned why it was necessary for Ford to have called it early.
The money to run the election would've been better spent on health care and schools, Stevens said.
CBC News has an interactive map with results from all 124 ridings across the province here.
Local riding results here
Brantford-Brant (61/61 polls reporting)
- Will Bouma, PC Party of Ontario - 47.4%
- Harvey Bischof, Ontario NDP - 23.5%
- Ron Fox, Ontario Liberal Party - 20.3%
- Karleigh Csordas, Green Party of Ontario - 5%
- Joshua Carron, New Blue Party - 2.2%
- Rob Ferguson, Ontario Libertarian Party - 1%
- Mike Clancy, None of the Above Party - 0.6%
- James Carruthers, Ontario Alliance - 0.2%
Burlington (90/90 polls reporting)
- Natalie Pierre, PC Party of Ontario - 43.1% (24,118 votes)
- Andrea Grenbec, Ontario Liberal Party - 43.1% (24,078 votes)
- Megan Beauchemin, Ontario NDP - 8.0%
- Kyle Hutton, Green Party of Ontario - 3.4%
- James "Chilli" Chillingworth, New Blue Party - 1.3%
- David Crombie, None of the Above Party - 1.0%
Flamborough-Glanbrook (54/54 polls reporting)
- Donna Skelly, PC Party of Ontario - 49.4%
- Joshua Bell, Ontario Liberal Party - 31.4%
- Lilly Noble, Ontario NDP - 12.7%
- Janet Errygers, Green Party of Ontario - 4%
- Kristen Halfpenny, New Blue Party - 2.6%
Haldimand-Norfolk (61/61 polls reporting)
- Bobbi Ann Brady, Independent - 63.7%
- Amy Martin, PC Party of Ontario - 24.5%
- Vandan Patel, Ontario Liberal Party - 5.5%
- Erica Englert, Ontario NDP - 4.1%
- Anna Massinen, Green Party of Ontario - 1.6%
- Garry Tanchak, New Blue Party - 0.7%
Hamilton Centre (51/51 polls reporting)
- Robin Lennox, Ontario NDP - 38.4%
- Eileen Walker, Ontario Liberal Party - 21.3%
- Sarah Bokhari, PC Party of Ontario - 18.9%
- Sarah Jama, Independent - 14.9%
- Lucia Iannantuono, Green Party of Ontario - 4.9%
- Mitch Novosad, New Blue Party - 1.3%
- Nathalie Xian Yi Yan, Independent - 0.3%
Hamilton East-Stoney Creek (45/45 polls reporting)
- Neil Lumsden, PC Party of Ontario - 42.1%
- Heino Doessing, Ontario Liberal Party - 31.6%
- Zaigham Butt, Ontario NDP - 17.6%
- Pascale Marchand, Green Party of Ontario - 5.3%
- Drew Garvie, Communist Party Ontario - 1.6%
- Heather Curnew, Ontario Party - 1.5%
- Wieslawa Derlatka, New Blue Party - 1.4%
Hamilton Mountain (38/38 polls reporting)
- Monica Ciriello, PC Party of Ontario - 36.2%
- Dawn Danko, Ontario Liberal Party - 30.9%
- Kojo Damptey, Ontario NDP - 26.0.%
- Joshua Czerniga, Green Party of Ontario - 4%
- Layla Protopapa, New Blue Party - 1%
- Ejaz Butt, Independent - 0.7%
- Dan Preston, None of the Above Party - 0.7%
- Bing Wong, Ontario Party - 0.5%
Hamilton West-Ancaster-Dundas (84/84 polls reporting)
- Sandy Shaw, Ontario NDP - 38.8%
- John Demik, PC Party of Ontario - 33.8%
- Julia Brown, Ontario Liberal Party - 22.2%
- Guy Bisson, Green Party of Ontario - 3.5%
- Lee Weiss Vassor, New Blue Party - 1.2%
- Spencer Rocchi, None of the Above Party - 0.4%
- Nori Smith, Electoral Reform Party - 0.2%
Niagara Centre (66/66 polls reporting)
- Jeff Burch, Ontario NDP - 42.3%
- Bill Steele, PC Party of Ontario - 37.3%
- Damien O'Brien, Ontario Liberal Party - 14.7%
- Natashia Bergen, Green Party of Ontario - 2.6%
- Jimmy Jackson, New Blue Party - 1.8%
- Darryl Weinberg, Ontario Party - 1.1%
- Angela Browne, Ontario Alliance - 0.3%
Niagara Falls (76/76 polls reporting)
- Wayne Gates, Ontario NDP - 55%
- Ruth-Ann Nieuwesteeg, PC Party of Ontario - 34.5%
- Shafoli Kapur, Ontario Liberal Party - 6.3%
- Celia Taylor, Green Party of Ontario - 1.6%
- Gary Dumelie, New Blue Party - 1.6%
- Joedy Burdett, Independent - 0.5%
- Andrew Soifert, Ontario Party - 0.5%
Niagara West (67/67) polls reporting)
- Sam Oosterhoff, PC Party of Ontario - 50.2%
- Shauna Boyle, Ontario Liberal Party - 25%
- Dave Augustyn, Ontario NDP - 16.5%
- Mark Harrison, Green Party of Ontario - 4.5%
- Aaron Albano, New Blue Party - 1.5%
- Aaron Allison, Ontario Party - 1.4%
- Stefanos Karatopis, Ontario Libertarian Party - 0.7%
- Jim Torma, Populist Party Ontario - 0.2%
Oakville North-Burlington (44/44 polls reporting)
- Effie Triantafilopoulos, PC Party of Ontario - 49.7%
- Kaniz Mouli, Ontario Liberal Party - 40.9%
- Caleb Smolenaars, Ontario NDP - 5.4%
- Ali Hosny, Green Party of Ontario - 2.7%
- Charles Wroblewski, New Blue Party - 1.3%
St. Catharines (55/55 polls reporting)
- Jennie Stevens, Ontario NDP - 42%
- Sal Sorrento, PC Party of Ontario - 35%
- Robin McPherson, Ontario Liberal Party - 17.3%
- Stephen Vincelette-Smith, Green Party of Ontario - 2.5%
- Rob Atalick, New Blue Party - 1.7%
- Natalia Benoit, Stop the New Sex-Ed Agenda - 0.7%
- Liz Leeuwenburg, Ontario Party - 0.6%
- J. Justin O'Donnell, Ontario Alliance - 0.2%
Smaller Ontario parties, Independents looking to score wins in snap election
New Blue fields more than 100 candidates while others offer unique policies
Apart from the four major parties you're familiar with 16 parties and 41 independents will be looking to win a riding in the Ontario election.
It's a rare but not impossible feat.
In Ontario's last election in 2022, a lone independent candidate, Bobbi Ann Brady, catpured the seat of Haldimand-Norfolk. And this year, she's running again. According to her website, Brady became the first female independent MPP ever elected in this province and the first to be elected as an independent without previously winning with a major party since 1905.
In this year's snap winter election, triggered early by PC Leader Doug Ford, more than three dozen independents will be looking to the same.
Remember, in Ontario's system you vote for who you want to be your local MPP, not who you want to be premier. That means smaller parties that don't often have the reach or resources of the major parties (the PCs, NDP, Liberals and Greens) will still often get candidates onto your ballot.
The best way to see who is running in your riding is use the candidate search on Elections Ontario's website.
New Blue party fields more than 100 candidates
The New Blue Party was the most successful party not to win a seat in the last provincial election, and has candidates in 108 of the 124 ridings this year. One of them, Belinda Karahalios, was a Progressive Conservative MPP before she was removed from the party caucus for opposing its COVID-19 emergency measures.
She and her husband, Jim Karahalios, then launched a new party. They say Ford hasn't done enough to cut taxes.
"There's never been any tax relief that they've put in place, and Doug Ford continues to promise that every election cycle," Jim Karaholios said in an interview last week.
"And then when he gets another mandate, he never provides permanent tax relief."
Belinda
and Jim Karahalios of the New Blue Party pose for a photo after the
results of the 2022 Ontario election results were in. The party won the
most total votes of any party that didn't win a seat that year. (Hala Ghonaim/CBC)
The party wants to cut the HST from 13 per cent to 10.
Karahalios says "cleaning house at Queen's Park" is a priority for the New Blue Party.
"Because whether it's PCs or Liberals, all we see is cronyism, scandals after scandals, and no one that's respecting taxpayers in this province," he said.
The New Blue Party received nearly 130,000 votes in 2022, the most of any party that didn't win a seat. Second best among those parties was the Ontario Party, founded in 2018, which took home nearly 85,000 votes.
Ousted NDP, PC MPPs running as independents
Voters in some Ontario ridings will also see a few familiar names running as independents.
In Hamilton, Sarah Jama, a housing and disability activist who won Hamilton Centre for the NDP in a byelection in March 202, will be running as an independent. In October 2023, Jama was ousted from the party after she made a statement in support of Palestinians following the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel that led to the current Israel-Hamas war. Jama called for an immediate ceasefire and an "end to all occupation of Palestinian land."
Michael Mantha, who was removed from the NDP caucus in August 2023 after allegations of workplace misconduct, is also running again in Algoma-Manitoulin.
Mantha promises to disrupt conventional party dynamics and could potentially split votes in a riding that has elected New Democrats and Liberal candidates for the past four decades.
Meanwhile, Vincent Ke, a Toronto MPP who resigned from the PC caucus and sat as an independent over allegations he's linked to election interference by China, is running again in Don Valley North.
Ke's team, in a news release this week, maintained he's done nothing wrong. "He has never been charged or convicted of any crime. While allegations were made against him, there is no evidence to support those false and defamatory claims," the release said.
None of the Above party pushing for electoral change
Greg Vezina, leader of the None of the Above Direct Democracy Party, wants to see referendums on main issues, saying he'd push for a "direct democracy" system similar to Switzerland's. It's one of the party's main priorities
"In Ontario, we have no say, absolutely no control once we elect a government," Vezina said last week.
But he says he knows it's tough for smaller parties like his to come up with big wins.
"We've got two chances of winning: slim and none," Vezina said.
The Ontario Party and New Blue Party won a combined 4.5 per cent of the total vote in 2022, while the remaining parties that didn't win a seat, including None of the Above, combined to receive 0.5 per cent.
Still, Vezina says he hopes his party can win enough votes to move the needle on key issues.
The Ontario election takes place Thursday.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
With files from Lorenda Reddekopp and John Rieti
Often election underdogs, Independent and minor party candidates say they shake up the 2025 Ontario vote
Seat or no seat, they say they’re important in the electoral process
Steven Hanssen, an Independent candidate in Thunder Bay–Superior North, won't be voting for himself this Ontario election.
Hanssen said he ran because none of the major parties offered platforms he resonated with, but will be saving his vote for another major party candidate he feels has a better shot at being elected.
"There was a need to break from the established parties to have the freedom of flexibility to craft the future for us," said Hanssen.
"I'm not expecting to win."
Hanssen is among candidates in the 2025 provincial election who don't have the support of one of the four major parties. Considered underdogs, they rarely win seats, but Independent and minor party candidates say running is worth it to connect with people unhappy with what the status quo has to offer.
Hanssen, a former public servant, said this is his first time running for official public office. He decided to jump in after finding major parties' climate change platforms were lacking.
"Having a realistic, pragmatic, business-orientated way of aligning our economy to the changing climate is important," Hanssen said.
He said he thinks candidates of major parties don't have as much freedom as Independents, who aren't beholden to maintaining party lines.
Hanssen said that if elected Thursday, he would be free to take more decisive action on climate change by building climate change-resistant infrastructure: namely, underwater cities on the ocean floor.
"I came to the conclusion that moving under the ocean made sense given the challenges we face."
Thunder Bay–Superior North is not located on the coast, but Hanssen said this idea could work with lakes too.
Independent
candidate Steven Hanssen says he doesn't expect to win Thunder
Bay–Superior North, but feels participating in the electoral process has
been a valuable experience. (Submitted by Steven Hanssen)
His platform also includes food bank reform, addressing the opioid epidemic and creating a framework for a provincial relationship with artificial intelligence (AI). He said voters he met while campaigning seemed to take interest in his platform because it was grassroots and reflected the concerns of their community instead of major party talking points.
"People got really excited about [it] with hope for these reforms to, say, the food bank because they see the problems."
Hanssen said he's glad he's running, even though he doesn't think he'll win and ultimately chose to vote for a major party candidate to avoid splitting the vote.
"Seeing [the electoral process] from the perspective of a candidate is a very rare opportunity in the history of our democracy."
Small parties offer increased choice: candidate
Like Hanssen, Thunder Bay–Atikokan candidate Martin Tempelman said he was disappointed in the platforms of the major parties — the Progressive Conservatives, Liberals, NDP and Green Party — and wanted to give voters an alternative option.
He's one of over 200 provincial candidates running for a smaller party that caters to all political stripes. Ontario ballots this year will include candidates from Libertarian, Communist, Populist and Freedom parties. Some run on specific issues, like "Stop the New Sex-Ed Agenda Party" or the "Party for People with Special Needs." There's also a "None of the Above Party."
Six candidates in northwestern Ontario are running for the New Blue Party and the Northern Ontario Party. The Northern Ontario Party was not able to provide any candidates available to be interviewed.
Tempelman, a candidate with New Blue, said he's been unhappy with the direction the Ontario Progressive Conservative Party has gone and wants to provide right-leaning voters another choice.
"Doug Ford is no different than the Liberals, or NDP or the Green," he said.
"New Blue Party, I would term as a party that's fiscally responsible, unlike the other parties that are all fiscally progressive."
Martin Tempelman, a New Blue candidate in Thunder Bay–Atikokan, says small party candidates shouldn't be counted out. (Submitted by Martin Tempelman)
Tempelman's platform includes lowering taxes, incentivizing more housing development, increasing road safety and supporting pro-life policies.
He said if elected, he'd like to open the latter up for debate in a way other parties haven't.
"Political parties throughout the last number of decades, they don't want to touch that issue," said Tempelman.
Concerns about vote splitting
Some Ontario candidates have voiced concern about vote splitting or dropped out entirely in hopes of increasing other similar candidates' chances of winning.
Tempelman said vote splitting shouldn't discourage minor-party candidates from running.
"The only thing that would concern me about vote splitting is a person who believes the same thing I do, understands the issues the same way I do, and would not vote for me. That's vote splitting."
The New Blue Party, which was formed in the last provincial election, hasn't won a seat in any riding before. But in 2022, it won the most total votes of any party that didn't take a seat in that election.
Tempelman said he estimates his chances of winning his Thunder Bay–Atikokan are, "with the Lord's help, 110 per cent."
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
3-term MPP's independent bid shakes up conventional race in Algoma- Manitoulin
Michael Mantha was kicked out of the NDP after report found he sexually harassed a staffer
The 70,000 or so voters in Algoma-Manitoulin will have one more option on their ballot in the upcoming provincial election with incumbent MPP Michael Mantha running as an independent candidate.
The addition promises to disrupt conventional party dynamics and could potentially split votes in a riding that has elected New Democrats and Liberal candidates for the past four decades.
Mantha successfully ran for the NDP in the past three elections, but was removed from that party's caucus in 2023 after a workplace investigation concluded he sexually harassed one of his staffers.
He previously told CBC he disagrees with the investigation's findings and intends to leave his political future "in the hands of voters in Algoma-Manitoulin."
NDP replaces Mantha with political newcomer
New Democrats in Algoma-Manitoulin nominated David Timeriski to fill in the gap left by Mantha.
It'll be his first time running for political office after a 30-year career as a paramedic and volunteer firefighter.
The Elliot Lake resident says he's always been a supporter of NDP policies, especially when it comes to health.
David
Timeriski has worked as a paramedic and volunteer firefighter for 30
years. This is his first experience in politics. He says the NDP team
and volunteers are working hard to support his campaign. (Submitted by David Timeriski)
He's advocating for strategies that would help recruit and retain health professionals across "the circle of care," from doctors to lab technicians. He says frequent closures of emergency rooms, such as the ones experienced in Thessalon, are unacceptable.
Timeriski says that while there are special circumstances that led to his nomination, he's confident the riding's NDP voters will throw their support behind him.
"The voters have a right to choose," he said. "This is their opportunity to hold anybody accountable."
Liberal candidate focused on health, affordability
The Algoma-Manitoulin candidate for the Ontario Liberals is Reg Niganobe.
It's his first time vying for a provincial seat after 15 years in politics, first as the chief of Mississauga #8 First Nation, then as the grand council chief of the Anishinabek Nation.
Niganobe says he wanted to make the jump to provincial politics after seeing key issues go unaddressed in the small towns and First Nations that make up the riding.
"We have 40,000 citizens here in Algoma-Manitoulin that don't have a family doctor," he said.
Reg
Niganobe has worked in politics for 15 years, recently as the grand
council chief of the Anishinabek Nation. This is his first jump into
provincial politics. (Submitted by Reg Niganobe )
He says northern Ontario money is being spent on projects that benefit the residents of the province's south.
"The proposed tunnel under Highway 401 or the health spa [in] downtown Toronto are not very useful to us up here," he said.
He says the current government hasn't made progress on some of the key infrastructure issues in the riding, including the Manitoulin Swing Bridge and the Dean Lake Bridge near the Municipality of Huron Shores.
Mantha says he can be a voice for northern Ont. as an independent
As for Mantha, he says he wants to continue to advocate for the north, including on three key issues he's heard from his constituents: healthcare, highway safety and affordability.
"Once you get elected, it doesn't matter if you're in government or opposition," he said. "You have one job, and it's to work across party lines to get benefits in your riding."
He says he's developed his craft over the past 13 years.
Asked whether voters were concerned about the sexual harassment allegations against him, Mantha says it's a personal matter that hasn't really come up his conversations with constituents.
"When I'm talking to people on doorsteps, they're more concerned with the issues that they faced with here in the province," he said.
"They're more focused on obtaining a doctor, an affordable home, and not getting caught in the carnage of an accident."
Conservative candidate focuses on tariff threat
Algoma-Manitoulin's progressive conservative candidate Bill Rosenberg has declined multiple interview requests from CBC.
In a statement, his campaign manager said potential tariffs from the U.S. would hit the riding's lumber and steel industries hard.
Progressive conservative candidate Bill Rosenberg's campaign focuses on the tariff threat and how best to counter it. (Aya Dufour/CBC)
"Now more than ever, we need strong leadership to protect our jobs, businesses and communities," he wrote.
The Green Party of Ontario candidate for Algoma-Manitoulin is Maria Legault.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Democracy is in peril, but I’ll keep fighting for you
By MPP Bobbi Ann Brady
“We the people tell government what to do…it doesn’t tell us. We the people are the driver, the government is the car, and we decide where it should go, by what route and how fast.”
Those are the words of Ronald Reagan on January 11, 1989, as he delivered his farewell address to the United States of America. ‘We the people’ were the three little words Reagan used to reverse the course of government throughout his eight years as president.
President Reagan was right, and the preservation of freedom is why government exists, period. However, freedom is a fundamental value of democracy but today democracy is in peril.
Over the past 10 years, Canada and all Western countries have seen marked changes in the nature of the world order. Two trends are particularly worrisome and have contributed to “democratic backsliding.” We see elected governments incrementally eroding democratic institutions, rules, and what we know as social norms. Secondly, there are people in power, and leaders, who are hiding non-democratic practices behind democratic institutions. These leaders are focussed on gaining or retaining power but are undermining democracy using various strategies, such as buying votes and eliminating or silencing political opposition.
You might be thinking, “Sure, that’s happening around the world but not in our neck of the woods.” Make no mistake—it’s happening at every level of Canadian government including Haldimand-Norfolk.
In 2024, I wrote a few newspaper columns citing examples of democratic erosion in the Ontario Legislature. With a quick scan, you’ll find numerous examples across Ontario such as school board trustees and municipal councillors being silenced.
On December 29th, the United States’ 39th President Jimmy Carter passed away. Like many leaders, Carter left us with much to ponder through the written word. On January 5, 2022, he penned a piece for the New York Times titled: I Fear for our Democracy.
In this piece, Carter said, “For American democracy to endure, we must demand that our leaders and candidates uphold the ideals of freedom and adhere to high standards of conduct.” While I cannot agree with all his politics, I can wholeheartedly stand by this statement, and I am proud to be working with a handful of others across the country who believe the same.
We must continue to stand up, to ask questions, to demand accountability, because what we are witnessing is what ensues when powerful business interests have too much sway over government decisions whether it is municipally, provincially, or federally. Sadly, government is not working for you.
We need Reagan’s great rediscovery of the 1980s where, “Low and behold, the moral way of government is the practical way of government: Democracy, the profoundly good, is also the profoundly productive.”
Together, we can restore democracy and protect our freedoms. It won’t be easy because leaders and special interests have their people in place to shut us down—they fear monger, and they try to convince voters that opposition should not exist. I remind you that without opposition there is not accountability, and there is no protection of public interest.
These same folk also tell others that the tough questions I ask on your behalf are somehow hurting us. I ask if these people believe in a dictatorship.
“We the people are free. The future should always be ours.” It’s time government let us get in the driver’s seat and take the wheel.
Bobbi Ann Brady is the MPP for Haldimand-Norfolk
Contact
Contact Bobbi Ann Brady
Tel: 519-428-0446
E-mail: babrady-co@ola.org
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