By MPP Bobbi Ann Brady Ontario’s farm and arable land is finite, it’s non-renewable. In debate last Wednesday of my Private Member’s Bill – Bill 62 – I asked members of the Ontario Legislature to take pause and ponder this important fact. Once our productive land is paved over there’s no making more, there’s no
By MPP Bobbi Ann Brady Last Tuesday was the 17th anniversary of the Douglas Creek Estates’ land occupation in Caledonia. Seventeen years later, two governments later, nothing has changed except a second occupied site. There needs to be leadership or clarity regarding productive Indigenous relations on development matters. On the anniversary, I seized the opportunity
By MPP Bobbi Ann Brady On Tuesday, February 21st, I proudly introduced my first Private Members’ Bill (PMB). The PMB is entitled Bill 62, An Act to provide for the development of a farmland and arable land strategy and an advisory committee on farmland and arable land.” This legislation is close to my heart because it’s my
By MPP Bobbi Ann Brady Depending on how you look at the most recent report of Ontario’s Financial Accountability Officer (FAO), there’s bad news and perhaps good. Keep in mind the mandate of the FAO is to provide an independent analysis of the province’s finances and trends in Ontario’s economy. The FAO was legislated in
By MPP Bobbi Ann Brady Winter is a time for farm meetings. This winter has been no exception, albeit all meetings resumed in-person, which were sorely missed the past few winters. I’ve tried to attend every farm meeting I’ve been invited to, so long as I am not required to be on the road with
By MPP Bobbi Ann Brady It all boils down to people. That simple statement sums up the problems facing health care today. However, the situation and solutions are much deeper. The shortage of personal support workers (PSWs) became apparent during the pandemic. These dedicated workers provide daily care to residents in retirement and nursing homes.
By MPP Bobbi Ann Brady We know rural and small towns are the backbone of Ontario. Rural Ontario provides crucial sources of food, water, energy and recreation for the province. There are 469 rural municipalities in Ontario – both Haldimand and Norfolk are among that number. Rural municipalities cover 96 per cent of Ontario’s land
By MPP Bobbi Ann Brady In 2023, the Ontario Good Roads Association is celebrating its 129th anniversary. While the Good Roads movement began in the 1870s in Rhode Island, by 1894, it was particularly strong in Ontario, where wheelmen, riding clubs, and manufacturers sought to protect their interests from legislative discrimination. At the same time,
By MPP Bobbi Ann Brady The tragic shooting of a Haldimand County OPP officer on Dec. 27 is still on people’s minds, but our pragmatism sets in as sadness continues. The question of why this tragedy occurred beats on the brows of Ontarians – on Canadians. I’ve been receiving emails, telephone calls, and private messages
By MPP Bobbi Ann Brady I hope you are settling into 2023 and had a wonderful Christmas season. Last week I reflected on the first few months as your representative at Queen’s Park, and as promised, this week’s column will wrap up 2022. Independence gives me the freedom to vote based on what Haldimand-Norfolk tells