By Mike Renzella
The Haldimand Press
HALDIMAND—After a third-place finish in the race to lead the Conservative party against PM Justin Trudeau in the next federal election, Haldimand-Norfolk MP Leslyn Lewis has been named to new Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre’s Shadow Cabinet, where she will serve as Shadow Minister for Infrastructure and Communities.
Poilievre commented on his new cabinet, “Together with this team, Conservatives will take on Justinflation, fight all of Trudeau and his costly coalition’s tax hikes – including his plans to triple the expensive carbon tax – and tackle the cost-of-living crisis so that young people can buy a home, families can afford nutritious food, and our seniors can retire with dignity.”
Lewis spoke to The Press about her new role, and what it entails: “I will be working very closely with the Poilievre leadership team, ensuring that the proper infrastructural funding is disseminated to the communities, especially those communities that are under-serviced and under-resourced.”
She touched on why she is a good fit for the position, stating, “A lot of contracts exist between the federal government and municipalities, and the capacity to decipher those contracts, to know what their strengths and weaknesses are of the funding policies being put on the table, that’s very, very important. My legal background will really tie in nicely with that. Additionally, I have a background in business and industry. I’ve also represented large Canadian corporations abroad and locally.”
She said that with several new environmental projects being considered toward the Federal goal of net-zero emissions, her environmental background will prove “very useful in assessing whether or not these initiatives are viable, how they interact with business, and whether or not that will enhance businesses or the impact it will have on our current business structure.”
According to Lewis, one of the major issues facing Canada’s infrastructure is urban residents relocating en masse to rural environments, clogging the country’s rural highways and arterial roads, as seen here in Haldimand.
“That’s a very big issue,” said Lewis. “Just the ability for people to get back and forth and really supporting existing industries.”
“In this community we have Imperial Oil and the development there (referencing the proposed community in Nanticoke), and pipelines issues, and making sure we can get our product to market,” said Lewis on local issues of concern. “Those are some issues that will be very, very interesting given the government’s new approach to the carbon footprint and net zero initiatives.”
She noted the concern around water in the region: “The issue we have is the Six Nations reserve. There’s no clean drinking water there. We have a real issue with access to water, both in Haldimand County and also in Norfolk. That’s something that infrastructure will have to address.”
On how a Poilievre-led government would set about tackling Canada’s complex infrastructure issues, she said, “We want to make sure that Canadians are enriched and that we remain the most prosperous nation and the freest nation in the world. We want to have food sovereignty and security…. Developing our natural resources, making sure we support our farmers, building critical infrastructure so that it makes the lives of Canadians easier – those will be top priorities to ensure we can continue to prosper economically and continue to invest in our country.”
While Lewis and Poilievre were seen sparring over a variety of issues throughout the Conservative leadership race, Lewis described her relationship with the new party leader as good, concluding, “We were close before the race and both did a good job during the leadership race. I believe we continue to have a close, respectful working relationship. I’m looking forward to doing everything in my ability to ensure that he is the next Prime Minister.”
