July 16, 2024

Caring and connecting stressed at local Green Party Forum

BY SOUTHGREY.CA STAFF — The Bruce-Grey Owen Sound Green Party held a public forum entitled Growing Healthy Rural Communities at the Annesley Church in Markdale on Monday, July 15.

Ontario Green Party Leader/MPP for Guelph, Mike Schreiner and Deputy Leader/MPP for Kitchener Centre, Aislinn Clancy made the visit to discuss issues of rural healthcare, farming and building sustainable communities. They were joined by several municipal Council members from Bruce and Grey Counties who also touched on many challenges faced by municipal governments in the deliverance of local services and affordable housing.

Schreiner vaunted the Green Party platform, suggesting many ways to improve the healthcare system allegedly faltering under the current Conservative government, citing a lack of funding and misguided priorities. "Ontario has the lowest funded healthcare system in the country," said Schreiner. "Nurses and staff are underpaid and disrespected," he added.

On the topic of environmental stewardship, Schreiner offered that farmers should be paid for their sustainable practices and that Greenbelt land should be protected from confiscation and future development.

Schreiner also boasted that Canadian economist and professor of international trade, Mike Moffat has called the Green Party Housing Strategy the best plan in the province and criticized the pursuit of self interest over the common good. "We have a crisis of caring," said Schreiner. "We need to invest in the things that care for people, like properly funding hospitals, universities and tradespeople."

Clancy reiterated much of the Green Leader's points, emphasizing the power of connected communities and "organizing, not agonizing" to execute a plan "where all generations have a place to live on our planet." She also stressed the need to "stop under-funding healthcare and properly address addiction treatment, making decisions based on data."

The Green Party MPPs were joined on stage by Arran-Elderslie Deputy Mayor Jen Shaw, Owen Sound Councillor Jon Farmer, Grey Highlands Councillor Joel Loughead and Georgian Bluffs Councillor Tobin Day. The crew took questions from the audience but also expounded on their own concerns.

Jen Shaw addressed the biggest economic issue in her region — hospital closures in neighbouring municipalities. "We need more open dialogue and communication," she said while admitting that the decisions of the South Bruce Grey Health Centre Board have been difficult under current circumstances. "Healthcare is a public service and needs to be funded properly," she advanced.

Joel Loughead mentioned the general loss of farmland across the province but pointed to development in the Beaver Valley as a particular area of his concern. "What we do here matters downstream," he explained.

Jon Farmer repeated the theme of inter-connection between communities. "The way to address any of the challenges facing us is by connecting with each other," he stressed.

Tobin Day spoke on the need for policy and her desire to "move forward in sustainable ways."

The event was intended to incite Green Party interest in the riding of Bruce–Grey–Owen Sound. Approximately 100 people attended and many asked questions of the guests following their discussions. The Party is looking for candidates leading up to the next provincial election tentatively scheduled to be held on June 4, 2026.

For more information about the Green Party of Ontario, visit their website.

 

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