HALDIMAND—While this is his first-ever political interview, Nate Hawkins was ready to hit the ground running just days after finding out the Green Party was seeking a candidate for Haldimand-Norfolk.
Hawkins made sure to differentiate himself from the Nate Hawkins who ran locally for the New Blue Party in the 2022 provincial election, despite their shared name.
“I’m fresh,” said Hawkins of the political experience he brings with him.
A long-time fan of the Green Party, Hawkins decided about a month ago to apply as a potential candidate. While he lives in Kitchener, Hawkins has always loved the Haldimand-Norfolk area, recalling fishing along the Grand River and visiting the beach in Selkirk over the years.
Background
Born in Brantford in 1972, Hawkins travelled the globe growing up as the son of a musician, from Toronto to the Bahamas, the UK, and back to Brantford.
At the time of his interview, Hawkins was not lying about his freshness, having gathered 60 the 100 required resident signatures to formally register as a candidate. Hawkins was slowed in his efforts last Wednesday by car problems but noted successful stops at a shopping area in Norfolk County last week.
“I figured Canadians are flocking to Canadian stores right now, so it’d be a good place to engage them, and it worked,” he said.
He is running a $0 campaign, which means you won’t see ‘Nate Hawkins’ campaign signs around the riding or ads in the paper.
Hawkins has previous experience as an independent filmmaker, both as a producer and assistant director on a number of projects over a 12-year period.
He is currently on a short-term disability following some health issues developed in his previous position in a shipping and receiving at a warehouse. He said dealing with his health problems led him to consider using his voice toward amplifying the issues he is passionate about.
The environment
“I am very concerned about the environment,” he said.
“Right now in Lake Erie, with all the microplastics and plastic particles in it, it’s getting really scary. It should really be addressed; also you’ve got the dead spots of algae,” he said of a local example. “It’s the smallest of the Great Lakes, but it’s the second on the list for the most amount of particles of plastic found in it, contaminating it.”
Hawkins also worries about a lapse in environmental rules on the American side of Lake Erie, calling it a “real threat” to fish, habitats, and the Grand River: “I’m concerned about what kind of planet we’re going to leave for all of our kids and our grandchildren.”
He acknowledged that some climate change impacts occur naturally, but argued, “You can’t tell me with the population growth of the planet and the way this climate is getting worse that the two aren’t intertwined.”
He believes it’s important to find the right balance between economic prosperity and mitigating pollution, where companies that control their pollution are rewarded and those that don’t are punished.
Hawkins would strive to speak with local professionals to discern the environmental issues that matter most in the riding, push for more agricultural education options for students, and explore the possibility of year-round greenhouses growing the crops we typically rely on importing from other countries.
“We’re going to have to figure out some homegrown solutions to some of those issues,” said Hawkins.
Affordability
Living on short-term disability, Hawkins knows first-hand how hard it can be to keep your head above water these days.
He praised the Green Party’s announced tax reform plan, calling it a transformative plan that would eliminate all federal income taxes on Canadians earning less than $40,000 a year.
“That will provide financial relief to lower and middle-class households in the country and help local economies by returning $50 billion back to the working Canadians,” said Hawkins. “Some people might say it’s too much to do, or irresponsible to call for a tax cut that large, but the Green Party is saying it’s irresponsible to allow out of control income inequality. It’s spiralling out of control.”
Immigration
Hawkins spoke of working alongside many new Canadian immigrants, noting how many are enrolled in universities and colleges in southern Ontario.
While Hawkins did not blame the immigrants themselves, he said “there’s a lot of fear mongering going on” and he believes the “Liberals really dropped the ball” not having the infrastructure in place to support the level of immigration.
US relationships
On the US President’s repeated threats toward Canada’s sovereignty, Hawkins said, “I think we need to really take a breath and think about what we’re doing and we need to wait for him, and then we can counter it back.”
He continued, “I don’t think our sovereignty is going to go anywhere. I know Canadians are strong people, we’ve been through tough times over the years quite a bit and we always seem to find a way to make it through, and it’s just because we’re proud and live in the most beautiful country in the world, and that’s what Donald Trump wants.”
Indigenous relationships
On the issue of reconciliation and the ongoing land claims in Caledonia and beyond, Hawkins said he understood why our Indigenous communities are upset and vowed to speak with both local Indigenous communities to find out about their major concerns.
Healthcare
Hawkins believes there is a role for the federal government to play when it comes to healthcare as well, advocating for all three levels of government to work together to address the country-wide issues plaguing healthcare.
Conclusion
“I’ve always been a team leader, I’m always a great listener, I find you need to listen first before you can come up with a conclusion or a decision,” said Hawkins on why residents should vote for him.
“I’m going into this as a regular, every day Canadian,” he concluded. “I’m not a politician, but I think that’s something that might be needed in the House of Commons as well, you know, some neutral ground parties in there with real people, not just people providing lip service.”
Note: This is the first in a series of candidate profiles to publish ahead of the April 28 federal election. The Haldimand Press will also host a debate on April 21, 2025.
