HALDIMAND—Port Dover resident and federal NDP candidate Shannon Horner-Shepherd is a lifelong Haldimand-Norfolk resident who is looking to put her extensive experience living and working in the community to use.
In addition to being a mom of four children, one of whom has special needs, she is a 27-year veteran steelworker at Stelco in Nanticoke, following in her father’s footsteps.
While Horner-Shepherd is new to politics, she has a history of involvement and advocating for issues she believes in, such as employment insurance reform and pension protection for retirees.
Horner-Shepherd shared her thoughts on some top election issues.
Affordability
Horner-Shepherd said the NDP wants to put more money in the pockets of Canadians through targeted tax cuts to people who need it the most.
“Taking GST off essentials that families need – groceries, kids clothing, diapers, home heating,” she shared. “Making sure we’re building homes people can actually afford.… We need to ensure we have affordable food security and affordable housing for people.”
She believes that developers should be integrating more affordable styles and models into their plans, instead of large, detached homes that are often priced outside the affordability range of the average working Canadian.
“If those are the types of homes they’re going to build, we’re going to stay in a housing crisis for sure,” she said. “It will be important to look at what we need, how we’re going to build those houses, and where we’re going to put them.”
Immigration
Immigration, according to Horner-Shepherd, is all about balance.
“We do have to understand that we have immigrants coming in with wonderful skillsets. We have a huge doctor shortage here in Canada. We have skilled people that are coming from other countries that we can utilize,” she said, noting how she has spoken with an immigrant who was a doctor in her home country, but now works on the night cleaning crew at Stelco along with her engineer husband.
Horner-Shepherd is no fan of what she sees as fear mongering rhetoric used to create more division between immigrants coming to Canada and current Canadian citizens, calling it “unfortunate for us as Canadians.”
Environment
“I think climate change is real. It would be difficult for anyone to dispute that, especially with the kind of weather we’ve had lately,” said Horner-Shepherd.
She believes in creating “good, clean energy policies” that also protects workers in industries like steel, where natural resources are used to create vital commodities.
“We’re never going to get away from the need for steel. I don’t think that will ever happen in Canada,” she said. “I don’t think anyone wants to drive around in a plastic car, anything like that. We’re going to have to find a balance. A way to look after the environment but ensure we don’t lose good paying jobs.”
She touted NDP plans to make electric cars more affordable and to implement more infrastructure for those cars, such as charging stations.
Agriculture
While admitting to not being as “well-versed” in current agricultural issues as she would like to be, Horner-Shepherd praised the riding’s agricultural community, noting that she herself worked in agriculture for years before her career at Stelco.
“Agriculture and working in it paid my bills, it kept a roof over the head of my children. We need to ensure we protect it, but do it in a way that is holistic for everyone,” she said. “We can’t lose our agriculture base here in this area.”
She lamented the slow conversion of small farming operations into bigger corporations and pledged to learn more about the local issues impacting farmers in the riding.
Sovereignty
“People are on edge,” said Horner-Shepherd on the destabilized relationship between Canada and the US. “There’s so much unpredictability going on right now. I feel like it’s a game at the expense of Canadians.”
As a steelworker, she added, “The tariff conversation is always in the back of our mind.”
Horner-Shepherd said that having “voices in Ottawa ensuring the everyday worker, the average Canadian is protected and looked after” is a key reason to vote NDP this election.
“I’m on team Canada. The NDP will always be on team Canada. I don’t think we’ll ever be the 51st state,” she said.
Reconciliation
Horner-Shepherd asserted the NDP has been the “most consistent” party when it comes to pushing for Canada to acknowledge and act on its responsibilities to Indigenous communities.
“We support the declaration of rights for Indigenous people,” she said. “We can’t just keep making promises. We need to work in ways that respect the Indigenous people and First Nations. We have to rebuild these relationships and create trust again.”
She criticized the Liberal Party for “saying in one breath they’re protecting Indigenous rights and on the other they’re blocking the ability out west to look for murdered and missing Indigenous women…. That’s not creating trust, building bridges, that’s not reconciliation.”
She would push the federal government to invest in affordable housing and clean drinking water on all reserves across Canada.
“The Liberals promised to lift the boil water advisories by March 2021. There are still currently 35 boil water advisories. How is it in 2025 we have not created the infrastructure for everyone to have clean drinking water?” she asked.
Healthcare
Acknowledging healthcare as a provincial responsibility, Horner-Shepherd nevertheless had some ideas, including helping doctors get training to allow them to work across the country, creating further expanded dental coverage to assist families in need, making it easier for skilled immigrants to work in the Canadian healthcare system, and to resist the option of further privatizing healthcare in the country.
“Healthcare is a human right,” she said.
