Incumbent Huron-Bruce MPP faces seven other candidates in provincial election
Incumbent Huron-Bruce MPP Lisa Thompson, representing the Progressive Conservative Party, is facing seven other candidates in the June 2 provincial election.
Joining her on the ballot, are Liberal Shelley Blackmore, Bruce Eisen of the Alliance Party, Laurie Hazzard of the New Democratic Party (NDP), Gerrie Huenemoerder of the Ontario Party, Matt Kennedy of the New Blue Party, Independent Ron Stephens, and Matthew Van Ankum of the Green Party.
SHELLEY BLACKMORE – LIBERAL PARTY
Shelley Blackmore and her family have lived in Howick Township for more than two decades. She has been an active volunteer in the region for many years, including time serving on the board of directors of the Huron Perth Centre for Youth and Children, and as chairperson of the North Perth Community Committee, championing the development of a Social Services Hub in North Perth.
She worked as a teacher with the Perth County District School Board, as a teacher, and then as a principal with the Avon Maitland District School Board. She is passionate about education and youth, and brings a wealth of experience and wisdom from the field.
LAURIE HAZZARD – NEW DEMOCRATIC PARTY (NDP)
Laurie Hazzard of Bayfield, is a former nurse, educator, and school administrator. Born in Wallaceburg, she graduated as a registered nurse in 1979. Her nursing experience includes two years at Weeneebayko General Hospital in Moose Factory, one year at the Royal Alexandra Hospital in Edmonton, and 10 years at the Children’s Hospital of Western Ontario (CHWO).
She attended Western University where she obtained her Honours BA, MA in History, and Bachelor of Education, all while continuing her work at CHWO.
Hazzard taught at Seaforth District High School and eventually became vice-principal. In 1999, she was assigned to distance education and with a team of educators and IT professionals, created the first full-service, publicly-funded on-line secondary school in Ontario – the Avon Maitland Distance Education Centre (AMDEC). While principal of AMDEC, Hazzard was approached by the Ontario Ministry of Education in 2004 and invited to join a team tasked with establishing an eLearning strategy for the province.
Over the next 14 years, as an education officer with the Curriculum and Assessment Policy Branch, Hazzard oversaw the development of Kindergarten to Grade 12 digital resources for use in Ontario’s publicly-funded schools. She retired from the ministry in 2019.
In retirement, she has been an active community member in Bayfield. She volunteers with the Home4Good Shopping Buddies program, sings with the Glee Sisters (a Bayfield women’s choir), and is an enthusiastic member of the Bayfield Ukulele Society. This past winter, she ran a Zoom ukulele program for the Huron County Alzheimer’s Society.
GERRIE HUENEMOERDER – ONTARIO PARTY
Gerrie Huenemoerder was the 2016 winner of the “win the space” contest where she won a commercial space in Vanastra and was able to open Avelina Jewellery. Her business is now located on Main Street in Seaforth.
She ran for the Ontario Alliance Party in 2018, and is now representing the Ontario Party, a conservative, right-wing populist party with ties to right-wing Christian groups, anti-vaccination advocates and organizers of the 2022 Freedom Convoy protests in Ottawa.
The Ontario Party strongly favours conservative economic policies. Its charter opposes government monopolies, maintains support for balanced budgets, and opposes what it calls "excessive" taxation.
MATT KENNEDY – NEW BLUE ONTARIO PARTY
Matt Kennedy is the provincial New Blue Ontario Party candidate in Huron-Bruce.
The party states that, “Ontario needs to move forward – the right way forward. It’s time to get our province working again by empowering individuals, strengthening our democracy, defending taxpayers, promoting small businesses, and standing up for faith and families.
“Ontario’s establishment political parties are entrenched in radical left-wing ideology that seeks to socially re-engineer our province through tax-and-spend economics, government over-reach, and crony capitalism.”
RON STEPHENS – INDEPENDENT
Ron Stephens of Kincardine ran for the Libertarian Party in 2018 and is now running as a provincial Independent candidate in Huron-Bruce.
A contractor in the area, Stephens also works in on-line media. He ran in the 2007 provincial election as an Independent candidate, and is once more running under that banner.
LISA THOMPSON – PROGRESSIVE CONSERVATIVE PARTY
Lisa Thompson was born and raised near Wingham in Huron County, but now calls Bruce County home as she lives near Teeswater on a farm that has been in her husband's family for 120 years.
She is campaigning for her fourth term as Huron-Bruce MPP, having represented the riding since she was first elected in 2011.
After serving as the Ontario education minister, and then minister of government and consumer services, Thompson was appointed Ontario's 40th minister of agriculture, food and rural affairs by premier Doug Ford, June 18, 2021.
In addition to her parliamentary roles, Thompson is honoured to represent Ontario as chairperson for Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians—Canada Region.
She has also been successful in having three pieces of legislation proclaimed by the lieutenant governor: ‘Safe and Supportive Classrooms,’ ‘Trust in Real Estate Services,’ and ‘Consumer Protection.’
MATTHEW VAN ANKUM – GREEN PARTY
Matthew Van Ankum is the provincial Green Party candidate in Huron-Bruce.
A farmer in northern Huron County, he loves trees, fresh air, sunshine, and barbecue.
BRUCE EISEN – ALLIANCE PARTY
Bruce Eisen is the provincial candidate for the Ontario Alliance Party in Huron-Bruce.
The Ontario Alliance Party platform consists of seven points, with the first being a balanced budget. The platform goes against carbon tax and sex education curriculum. The party aims to improve accountability on health care; labour management relations; and intergovernmental autonomy.
The provincial election is June 2. For more information, visit
www.elections.on.
Written ByLiz Dadson is the founder and editor of the Kincardine Record and has been in the news business since 1986.
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