By MPP Toby Barrett
To The Haldimand Press
In 1972, as the part owner of a commercial fishing boat in South America, I found myself and my co-owners up a river in French Guiana talking to a commercial fisherman. I had been on the road, sleeping outside and hitchhiking in 60 countries off and on since 1967. The fisherman saw right through me and said if I don’t quit now and go home, I never will. As he said, you don’t know how to stop: so I went back home.
Last Sunday, I was working with my friend who has honeybees on our farm – he stopped working and said, “Look if you don’t quit now – you never will. You don’t know how to stop.”
So now I am.
I will not be running in the coming election knowing that my capable staff and I, over those 27 years, have helped a very large number of people.
As an elected representative, I am known as a riding man and, for me, the people that I have had the privilege of representing have always come first … regardless of their ideology or political affiliation. What remains uppermost in importance is that we continue to fight for our small town and rural way of life in a democratic society where freedom prevails and justice rules.
I continue to be forever grateful to the great people of our area who put their trust in me over seven elections. I find the work quite rewarding and truly value the open market for ideas and information all the while solving problems and seizing opportunities.
Importantly, I am indebted to my staff, their loyalty and hard work over the years for the people we serve in my local and Toronto offices. Bobbi-Ann Brady, my Executive Assistant of 23 years, is reflective of this and she’s a very large part of how we run our operation.
Drawing on several hundred years of family conservatism – going back to the Irish Parliament of 1799 – I decided to run for office when I was four years-old during my grandfather’s federal campaign. I recall riding into town in the back of my parents’ Studebaker and having my mom point out my name on every telephone poll.
Some assume Haldimand-Norfolk is a safe Conservative seat, but I had to knock on doors for 20 years before our area left the Liberal, and then NDP, fold.
I, and staff in my offices, cherish loyalty. I have proudly served Ontario PC leaders since Mike Harris, even when it was not determined to be politically astute. Iron Mike was in the Legislature a few weeks ago, and after someone tried to explain to me the Common Sense Revolution was over, I reflected on the fact that after 27 years, I’m fighting the fight and maybe I should go do something else … but then I remembered that Hiroo Onoda, Imperial Japanese soldier, continued in the Philippines jungle for over 30 years after the war!
I am proud of my 27 years and I am truly grateful to my constituents.
