By MPP Bobbi Ann Brady
Being your Independent Member of Provincial Parliament is an honour and privilege. With that in mind, I go to Queen’s Park for you—the taxpayer, not special interests.
I’m told by members of the House, from all parties, that my questions and statements are spot on. In 2024, I definitely drew attention to Haldimand-Norfolk’s issues. Here are some highlights from the first half of the year. Part two next week!
Carbon tax remains a hot-button issue. Boy, did I get Premier Ford’s attention. I asked Premier Ford to follow Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe’s lead and refrain from collecting the carbon tax for Justin Trudeau. This followed a related petition I launched in January. Premier Ford bellowed across the floor that come next election, I’d be out of a job. Challenge accepted because I’ve learned the premier is only willing to go so far to find savings for you.
I took another opportunity to ask the premier why he has allowed the Ontario Land Tribunal (OLT) to be lined with friends of developers. I told him the OLT has been hijacked. The question arose after learning the former Haldimand County mayor was appointed to the OLT after, in 2022, he asked for its dissolution. If you want to see how this played out, voila:
From hot air to gas, gas wells actually. Provincial funding to assist with managing the hazards posed by old, inactive gas wells is flowing to Haldimand and Norfolk Counties—$260,000 and $280,000 respectively. Gas wells was one of the first issues I raised when I arrived at Queen’s Park in 2022 despite others’ attempts to take credit. There are two factors related to gas wells:
Those gas wells maintained by property owners largely in Haldimand County, we must work to retain these. Secondly, those that pose a danger—like the situation on Forestry Farm Road Norfolk.
Community Living Ontario quarterbacked the Five to Survive campaign whereby families supporting loved ones with developmental disabilities requested a five per cent increase to base funding after a meagre 3.9 per cent increase spread over 30 years. Children, Community and Social Services Minister Michael Parsa would not commit. I’m in touch with the folks from Community Living Ontario, and this is not over.
For the freedom to choose (which you don’t have) the best medical treatment for you and your family, I sponsored a Queen’s Park media conference with Diane Elms. A respected homeopath with many years of experience as a natural health care researcher and practitioner of drugless cancer care. In the news conference, Diane stressed that the current focus is on research and testing, not cures or prevention. Getting this message across remains on my radar.
In March, for International Women’s Day, the government denied Independents (including Liberal, the Green member and me) the ability to speak commemorating the day. I’m a champion of women and men and a champion of democracy, and the government’s action was counter-democracy. I had to take a stand, so I joined with other Independent female MPPs in a press conference denouncing the anti-democratic government actions. Eventually, we won the day.
I voted against Bill 180, the Ontario Budget. While some of the bill was good, it was lacking fiscal responsibility and didn’t commit to work on infrastructure like the Argyle Street Bridge rebuild. It didn’t add any local long-term care beds, had barely a mention of rural Ontario, and didn’t do much for the backbone of small towns – small businesses.
More on small business, I teamed up with the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) and launched a petition asking the Ontario government to immediately cut the Small Business Tax Rate (SBTR) from 3.2 per cent to at least 2 per cent with a goal of reaching zero. And immediately increase the Ontario small business tax rate deduction threshold to $700,000, indexed to inflation annually.
These are just some of the highlights of a dynamic first half of the year. Stay tuned for part two next week. For more, please visit https://bobbiannbrady.com.
Happy New Year!
Bobbi Ann Brady is the MPP for Haldimand-Norfolk