The rural region of Haldimand–Norfolk in Southwestern Ontario is known for its rich agricultural land and sandy beaches by Lake Erie. But in recent years, its name has come up increasingly in politics, often for unique reasons.
The region is the riding of high-profile Tory MP Leslyn Lewis, who is making her second bid for the leadership of the Conservative Party.
In 2020, it attracted attention after the mayors of Haldimand and Norfolk held a public haircut outdoors to protest provincial COVID-19 restrictions that prevented business re-openings in their counties while other regions were allowed to open.
“What I can say is that the people of Haldimand–Norfolk have a reputation for being hard-working people who don’t ask for anything. They’re honest, they’re upright, and they have integrity,” Brady told The Epoch Times.
“When they see something that just doesn’t sit right with them, they dig in their heels and they say ‘No, we’re going to stand up to this.’”
Brady was the executive assistant of the region’s outgoing Progressive Conservative (PC) MPP Toby Barrett, who supported her campaign. She won the seat with 35 percent of the vote, while the PC contender garnered 30.5 percent of the vote and the NDP candidate 13.9 percent.
Brady, who has been involved with the PCs for 23 years, said she wasn’t given a chance to run a nomination contest, as the party selected Haldimand Mayor Ken Hewitt as its nominee. That’s why she decided to run as an independent.
Aside from the efforts of her “passionate” campaign team, she says she won the election because people in the community knew her through her years of working for Barrett and helping constituents with different issues, and possibly because people saw her treatment by the PCs as an undermining of democracy.
“We are seeing democracy sidelined in too many places these days. It’s happening provincially, it’s happening federally, and we need to stand up to it,” Brady said.
The Epoch Times contacted the Ontario PCs for comment but didn’t hear back by publication time.
Brady, a former writer and editor at a small-town newspaper, says she decided to get into politics over two decades ago due to her exposure to local issues through her journalism work.
“I loved helping people, working on local issues,” she said.
During her campaign, the main concerns she heard about from people in her community were inflation and the rising cost of living, she says, as well as shortcomings in home care for seniors.
“We have to cut taxes, and put people’s money back in their pocket so that they can spend it or invest it,” she said. “And I truly believe that fixing home care comes down to largely making sure that pay is equitable between those folks who are going into the community to do nursing and those who are in the institutions doing nursing.”
Brady also campaigned on opposing the Ontario Liberals’ proposal to ban handguns in the province, saying there’s a strong tradition of hunting in her community.
“They are responsible gun owners, and they’re saying to me, ‘Look, I’m tired of being treated like a criminal,’ and I get it,” she said. “It’s not our farmers, it’s not our hunters, it’s not responsible gun owners who are going and using the guns in an inappropriate way and killing people. Guns don’t kill people, it’s the people who kill people.”
In the June 2 election, the PCs won a second majority government, winning 83 seats of the total 124 seats. Brady acknowledges that in a majority government situation, independents won’t have as much power as they would in a minority government situation, but she says there is “no monopoly on a good idea.”
“I have friends on all sides of the house, I have acquaintances, and I have professional contacts from my 23 years [in politics]. Many of those people have reached out to me and said ‘we will work with you,' including PC members,” she said.
“I’m willing to work with [Premier] Doug Ford, and I’m willing to work with everyone else at Queen’s Park. It’s all about getting what’s best for the people of Haldimand–Norfolk.”
An athlete who has won medals in provincial and national kickboxing competitions and who is pursuing a black belt in karate, Brady says with a laugh that she knows she’ll be much busier once she’s at Queen’s Park and may not have as much time to maintain her martial arts schedules.
“I’ve already asked for forgiveness from my senseis.”
