HALDIMAND—Premier Doug Ford’s appointment of Norfolk Mayor Amy Martin as the next PC MPP candidate for Haldimand Norfolk drew divided opinions from the community this past week.
Peter Turkington, Director of Communications for the Ontario PC Party, shared that the selection process for the role began in September 2024.
“The Haldimand-Norfolk PC Association announced the opening of its nomination process via email to all current members, inviting interested individuals to apply. Among the multiple applications received was one from Amy Martin. The riding association’s search committee asked questions of the candidates and invited them to meet before submitting their names for vetting,” explained Turkington.
He continued, “After a thorough review, it became evident that Amy Martin, with her track record of improving municipal finances, expanding essential infrastructure, and attracting jobs to the community, was the best candidate to represent Haldimand-Norfolk. Her deep commitment to the community and proven ability to deliver results made her the clear choice.”
An unanswered follow-up to Turkington asked for additional details on the review process, who was considered, and why an appointment was chosen over a voting process.
Online, supporters of Martin rallied around her to express support.
“You have my vote!” wrote Nicole Slade on Martin’s Facebook post announcing her candidacy.
“Congratulations Amy, all the best in this new endeavour! Can’t wait for you to take back the riding,” added Marianne Kidd.
However, one person not so enthused about the appointment is current MPP Bobbi Ann Brady.
“We’ve been waiting for this. There have been things that have been transpiring over the last six months that really indicated that Amy Martin was going to be the PC candidate,” said Brady in an interview following the announcement, alluding to a “parade” of provincial ministers visiting Norfolk this past year, often without Brady’s involvement.
She alleged that, if elected, Martin would be a “backbench MPP” who will “not have a voice or ask questions like I do in the legislature.”
Brady added, “What’s shocking to me is that the PC party did not learn their lesson after 2022. They have once again appointed a candidate when there were four applicants who wanted to run.”
In 2022 Ford similarly appointed former Haldimand Mayor Ken Hewitt to run for the PCs. While Hewitt would neither confirm nor deny if he was one of the candidates vying for the position in 2024, he did comment on Martin’s appointment.
“I support the decision,” said Hewitt. “I think Amy has the attributes to represent her constituents well. I will do what I can to help her succeed and bring back this riding to a position where I think it can be more successful than it is today.”
Hewitt likened party politics to playing sports: “The name on the front of your jersey is more important than the name on your back…. We don’t always agree with the coach’s decision or the plays that are sometimes made, but ultimately the team wins, and the team loses.”
Further, Hewitt criticized Brady, calling her the “reason why our current situation in Haldimand Norfolk is represented the way it is.”
He elaborated, “We’ve seen that in her inability to work with Norfolk or Haldimand Council, and the various times she’s gone beyond presenting herself with decorum and respect in Queen’s Park. You can’t ask the government to help your community and work with you at the same time you kick them in the knees.”
Some current and former members of the local PC Riding Association expressed concern over the lack of a traditional nomination night.
Former PC MPP Toby Barrett argued online that his 1994 nomination followed months of “a very public, very hard-fought campaign.”
He called the appointments of Hewitt and now Martin “pathetic,” adding, “The good people of this Independent riding will work yet again and vote to send a clear message that they will not be taken for granted!”
Former Norfolk Mayor Kristal Chopp worked with Martin on a previous Council. Chopp also would neither confirm nor deny if she was seeking the nomination. She posted a satirical letter to social media, labelling the selection process a “Democracy Diet” that would deliver “the freshest political choices – right from the Cook’s kitchen, guaranteeing constituents will never have to worry about pesky things like ‘voting’ or ‘choice’ again.”
Chopp added, “Even if Ford called an election tomorrow, don’t listen to the nonsense that they will tell you that there wasn’t time to hold a nomination meeting. Please do the math and ask your local Progressive Conservative Executive – what have you being doing for the last 916 days since the last election knowing that we had no local leader of the PC party?”
Dustin Wakeford had previously announced plans to seek the nomination.
“I’m very concerned about the very real threat to democracy that this appointment represents. It’s an erosion of our rights to control our own destiny and where does it stop?” asked Wakeford in an interview. “I first joined the party when I was 16. The new candidate has been a member for 16 minutes. There’s already been a great erosion of confidence in the entire political process and this latest appointment only reinforces people’s worst fears.”
Brady, who served as the local association’s president prior to declaring herself an independent candidate in 2022, backed the sentiment, adding, “I’ve worked in politics for 25 years and been involved in a number of nomination races, and that’s how you do it. The person who wins may not be the party’s chosen candidate.”
She labelled the appointments an “erosion of the nomination process,” suggesting that both Hewitt and Martin were selected because “they support growth plans and they’re willing to abet paving over absolutely everything Doug Ford asks them to.”
Hewitt countered, asserting that claims of democracy’s demise are a “step far,” noting “the party system automatically precludes the majority of the general public from nominating their candidate unless they’re actual valid members…. If the nomination process did go through as it’s prescribed in the constitution, you’re still only getting a candidate who’s been nominated by 300 people in a riding of 110,000.”
Former HN PC Association president and executive rep for Dunnville Mike Ramsey revealed in a Facebook comment that he resigned from his long-time role with the local association over Martin’s appointment, stating, “This is now the third time conservatives in H/N have not had a chance to vote for our candidate. This is wrong and Ford knows it.”
Ramsey shared some further comments with The Press on his resignation: “As an executive member, I had no clue in what was happening,” he said, noting an attempt to call the area PC headquarters rep for clarity on the candidate selection process led to getting his “hands slapped.”
“An open nomination with smart experienced candidates debating local issues is good for everyone.… How can that be a bad thing? It kills me they passed on it,” he said.
He made sure to note that his frustration was more aimed at the party’s top decision-makers than the local, volunteer-run association, adding that membership numbers were up in anticipation of a nomination and voting process.
On Martin as a candidate, Ramsey shared, “I like her as well, but she should win fair and square by getting H/N party members vote – not Toronto.”
“Everyone involved are good people and are not to be attacked or slammed, they’re trying,” added Ramsey. “I respect them all. We just did not agree on the process.”
He continued, “We had and have excellent candidates. They should have had their day to run for it. To have Toronto and Ottawa continue to choose for us multiple times is totally disrespectful, and a message must continue to be sent to both Conservatives parties: enough is enough. My message was to resign.”
Despite his various concerns, Ramsey is still a supporter of the party as a whole: “I support the Ford government. I think the Premier and cabinet has done a great job running the Province overall.”
He concluded, “I’m very disappointed. We had a chance to unite and bring some excitement back to the local party; a badly missed opportunity.”
Martin previously announced her excitement to take her experiences from being Norfolk mayor for the past several years to the provincial stage, noting that she is “honoured” for the chance.
“The decision to run for provincial office was not made lightly. It followed a rigorous process conducted by the Haldimand-Norfolk Progressive Conservative Association to ensure the most suitable candidate would stand for election,” she said. “I am deeply grateful for the association’s diligence in evaluating candidates and for their confidence in my ability to represent Haldimand-Norfolk.”
Martin will continue to serve as Norfolk’s mayor and plans to take a six-week unpaid leave of absence when the writ is dropped for the provincial election “to focus fully on campaigning and connecting with residents throughout the riding.”
