MP Karen Vecchio called a week ago yesterday (Friday) wanting to talk.
It seems it had something to do with expiration dates, which caught my attention.
So, we agreed to meet in the myFM studio at which point she laid this one on us.
“I made my decision and that is to not run in the next election.
That would be the 45th election that we are expecting in October of 2025.
“And unfortunately, my name will not be on the ballot. And, next year when the federal election occurs, I will have been at it (sitting as an MP) for 10 years.
“I believe everybody has an expiry date and I know it’s time for me to be home.”
Now, there’s a world of difference between an expiry date and a best-before date and Vecchio has many productive years in front of her before reaching the latter time stamp.

But more about that shortly.
She was first elected in 2015, easily defeating Liberal runner-up Lori Baldwin-Sands by almost 11,000 votes.
In the 2021 vote, Vecchio stretched that margin of victory to more than 19,000 votes over Liberal candidate Afeez Ajibowu, who was parachuted into the riding and more about a similar situation in the following item.
But her career in politics began in 2004 in then-MP Joe Preston’s office.
“Joe and I compete a lot and Joe and I have had some very similar times like chairing committees.
“But, the one thing I love most is when I say I followed Joe Preston the MP, people say I can tell because of the way I work.
“It’s really about our community and that’s what Joe brought to Parliament and that’s what I brought as well. That’s what’s really important in following those footsteps.”
Vecchio eventually became Preston’s Executive Assistant before being elected in 2015 after he stepped away from federal politics.
In 2019, Vecchio was named the new Shadow Minister for Women and Gender Equality. She had spent the previous four years serving on the Status of Women Committee as both a member and as the chair. Vecchio had been the Shadow Minister for Families, Children and Social Development.
The following year, then-Conservative leader Erin O’Toole named her Deputy House Leader of the Official Opposition.
To this day, she is thankful for Preston’s unwavering support throughout her political career.
“Joe will always be one of my confidants.”
And Preston’s reaction to her announcement?
“That he was proud of me. I will always have his support and he was really proud of the work that I had done.
“He knows me very well. There are very few people who have walked in the shoes of a parliamentarian who live in this community.
“So, recognizing you are away from home, knowing the pressure that’s on you, both here and in Ottawa and just knowing what’s best for the person.
“I know Joe always thinks of me as a person first and so, I’ve got his support.”

MP Karen Vecchio with husband Mike.

And a career that would not have been possible without a cheerleader like her husband, Mike Vecchio.
“I could not have done these last 20 years without him. When I went for the nomination, I had five children and we know it takes a village to raise a child.
“And so, the first person I needed support from was my husband and I had one hundred per cent support right from the get-go.
“He has been the guy that picked me up at one o’clock in the morning at the airport or drove me over at four-thirty in the morning.
“He has been a huge part of this and he knows Saturday night dinners are not at home. We will always miss the first quarter of those games he wants to watch, whether it’s basketball or whatever it may be.
“He’s been on the road with me since Day 1 and this decision is a family decision.
“When I made this decision, it started with the two of us sitting down and me saying, I’m tired.”
Vecchio has no regrets that her time spent as an MP was sitting on the Opposition side of the aisle.
“One thing Joe said to me was government is so different than being the Official Opposition.

“Everything I did with committees, I did with one hundred per cent effort and passion. I am really proud of the 14 reports the Status of Women committee put forward with myself as chair. That would probably be a huge checkmark for me.”

“And though that would have been nice, I look at the work I have done over the last nine years, especially in committee. I think of the work that has been done on the status of women, human trafficking, working on mental health for young women and girls – which of course includes boys – and working on some really strong things with Hockey Canada.
“Over this next year, I know I’ve got tons of work I still have to do and I have to finish some of this work before I move forward.
“So, all summer, I’ve been doing a lot of work and a lot of studies when it comes to violence against women and human trafficking.
“I can continue to do that work even while not being a Member of Parliament. There are opportunities in the community to volunteer and to get involved here.”
She is most proud of the work her office undertook on behalf of the residents in Elgin-Middlesex-London.
“Everything I did with committees, I did with one hundred per cent effort and passion. I am really proud of the 14 reports the Status of Women committee put forward with myself as chair. That would probably be a huge checkmark for me.
“Also I felt every time there was an issue here, it was something where I was able to stand up in the House of Commons and talk about.

“I would have to say my biggest accomplishment here is that office. We work hard and we’re there for the constituents and that’s what matters to us.”

“Whether it was the Carbon Tax or the cost of living. And that’s because I have local stories.
“If you’re asking about what I’m proud about here, it would be my office. It would be the people who come to me and say thank you.
“I may have never met them, but the fact I have four sets of arms out there and they work so hard and they provide the services to the community.
“I would have to say my biggest accomplishment here is that office. We work hard and we’re there for the constituents and that’s what matters to us.”
With a Conservative majority a very distinct possibility after the next federal election, does Vecchio regret walking away from the opportunity to form the government?
“Yes, but it’s another four years and perhaps I can say I was able to look at it through the eyes of Joe Preston.
“I was able to see the great things we can do as a government while Stephen Harper was Prime Minister. I know when we have good representation, that the government will feel close enough.
“I also have some very, very good friends who are on all sides. So, although I will be out, I still think I will have my ear very close to the ground.”
We asked Vecchio what to expect in her final year in Ottawa.
“We’ve got to remember we are now going into our last year of government. I think it’s going to be really interesting.
“I think it’s going to be a very difficult year. We will have to see what the Liberal government is up to and what is going to happen to their leadership.
“There are so many things and if Trudeau is still at the helm, I do not see there being any hope for the Liberals.
“An absolute majority government for the Conservatives. We will have to see how things unfold.
“We have to make sure there are strong candidates everywhere. One of the things I recognize with Trudeau is they had a majority government but did not have strong candidates.
“We need to make sure we do.”
More on that thought in the item below.

“I just have to say to all of the people, thank you so much for the opportunity. I will continue to work as hard as I have for the last 20 years to continue to represent the constituents.”

And, stresses Vecchio, ensure it remains a Conservative stronghold.
“My parting message is that I’m going to work hard over the next year. I want to make sure this is a Conservative-held riding.
“That’s who I am and the values of many people in this community. I would say we are very fiscally responsible and very socially open.
“I want to make sure our community continues to go in the right direction, working with our municipalities and our local MPP.”
As to life after representing her constituents on Parliament Hill, Vecchio is leaving her options open.
“I know that when I come home, I want to get back to the community. I’m looking at everything from what is there in legal, what is there in human trafficking and what is there in social issues?
“Or, do I want to go out and drive a forklift so that at night I can do all my volunteer work because there is so much I want to give back?
“It all comes down to giving back to the community.”
Although there is a year left in her term, Vecchio took the time to thank the residents of Elgin-Middlesex-London for the opportunity to represent them for what will be a full decade when she steps away.
“I just have to say to all of the people, thank you so much for the opportunity. I will continue to work as hard as I have for the last 20 years to continue to represent the constituents.
“Thank you so much for this opportunity and this honour. It is the greatest education I could have ever asked for.
“It’s made me a better parent in the long run, it’s made me a better listener.
“And it’s made me a better Canadian and so, thank you to the people who have always had my back and who voted me in.
“And, no you didn’t have to vote for me but you always had my back.
“Thank you very much.”

FIRST UP TO THE PLATE

To follow up on the lengthy – and incredibly insightful – conversation with Vecchio, what is next for the riding?
Well to top the list, let us hope residents of the riding – which will be known as Elgin-St. Thomas-London South in the next federal vote – are afforded a robust nomination process.
And not subject to a candidate parachuted into the riding, because the initial impression this week points to the latter.
On the day following Vecchio’s announcement, London resident Andrew Lawton announced his intention to seek the nomination.
Why the rush to put his name forward?

The election is not until 2025 and Lawton couldn’t muster the courtesy to allow Vecchio several days to accept accolades from peers, friends and the riding at large?
In Lawton’s announcement, there was not a word of recognition for Vecchio’s many accomplishments while in office.
The former London radio broadcaster, managing editor of the True North media outlet and author did not have the decency to give the sitting MP a few moments in the spotlight.
Here’s your coat, there’s the door, watch yourself on the way out.
A sheer lack of class.
He is no stranger to the art of politics. Lawton ran provincially in 2018 in London West and lost by 15,000 votes to the NDP’s Peggy Sattler.
He was hustled into that riding by Premier Doug Ford.
On social media, Lawton advises, “I’ve been fighting for freedom and conservative values my whole career. Now, I want to take that fight to Ottawa.”
I read a lot of Lawton’s personal agenda in that announcement and not so much about serving the constituents he hopes to represent.
You can bet his conservative values are a quantum leap from the excellent representation we have enjoyed for a couple of decades through the efforts of Conservative MPs Joe Preston and Karen Vecchio.
He has notoriously attacked the gay community, racial minorities and those with physical ailments.
He admitted as much in a public statement issued in May 2018.
In the past, he conceded, he was active on social media, “posting things that are so far removed from who I am and what I stand for that I can’t even fathom my frame of mind in writing them.”
The comments were the result of mental illness, stressed Lawton, with no elaboration on specifics.
How easy it is to beg forgiveness after the damage is done.
Especially if you are now seeking to curry favour with voters.
He has been spotted in the community over the past month or so, including the Canada Day celebrations at 1Password Park, so you had to know something was bubbling under the surface.
If you check out his website, you will see him conveniently posed at the CASO station.
According to that website, his priorities include standing up for our freedom, fighting censorship, axing the carbon tax, getting government spending under control, defunding the CBC and standing up to the elites.
A poor crop yield if you earn a living in farming or agribusiness.
Will there be an open and fair nomination process where hopefuls will debate and challenge each other and let the membership decide?
Or is it a case of 2018 all over again?
If so, this riding has an interesting history of electing independents.

IT’S HERE!

A much-anticipated arrival this past Monday at St. Thomas Elgin General Hospital.
And no, it didn’t involve a newborn in the Women and Children’s Unit.
Instead, it was the arrival of the long-awaited MRI scanner.
Something hospital president and CEO Karen Davies calls a significant milestone for the hospital and residents of St. Thomas and Elgin county.
She added the machine – costing in the range of $2.5 million – will greatly enhance our diagnostic capabilities and ensure better patient outcomes.

According to a hospital release, “This innovative MRI machine produces detailed 3D images to help diagnose health issues, detect disease, and monitor treatment.
“It uses a powerful magnet and radio waves to generate images of internal organs and structures. The new machine offers highly advanced image quality, allowing our medical team to deliver precise and accurate diagnoses.”
Dr. Stefan Potoczny, Chief of Diagnostic Imaging added, “With this new technology, patients in Elgin county will no longer need to travel outside the area for MRI services, providing them with faster and more convenient access to critical diagnostic imaging.”
There are an estimated 5,000 St. Thomas and Elgin county residents requiring diagnostic scans and care.
Renovations will continue in the MRI suite at the hospital, with the first patients expected to be seen on the new machine this fall.
Funding for the MRI machine was provided by the St. Thomas Elgin General Hospital Foundation through the Transforming Tomorrow Campaign.
As of last week, the campaign has raised 90 per cent of the $8 million goal.
In 2021, the province approved funding for a long-awaited MRI for STEGH.
At the announcement in October, then Elgin-Middlesex-London MPP Jeff Yurek called it a “game-changer for the community.”
The hospital is one of the few medium-sized facilities in the province without an MRI.
That is, until Monday’s arrival.

HYDRO CORRIDOR

At the end of July, we received an update from Hydro One on the St. Thomas Line project, the transmission line that will run south from London to St. Thomas to serve the Yarmouth Yards industrial park.
There are three proposed routes and each is now being evaluated.

According to Hydro One, the new PowerCo EV battery plant will require 380 megawatts of power, equivalent to the energy needed for a city the size of Windsor.
Something that needs to be factored into the energy-saving claims being made for the battery output from the PowerCo plant.
The least disruptive route would appear to be that running on the west side of Highbury Avenue.
The Hydro One release advises, “While Route Alternative 1 parallels the existing transmission line right-of-way west of Highbury Avenue for approximately one-third of the way, our team did look at whether we could follow the corridor for a greater distance.  In our review, we determined that there are several constraints that create challenges to parallel the entire corridor length. These included:

• At the north end of the route, there was lack of sufficient space required for the approximate 45 metre (150 ft) wide corridor, as it would directly cross over several industrial buildings. There were also technical constraints due to the Highway 401 overpass and industrial parks to the south of the freeway.
• Crossing the Kettle Creek Valley presents challenges due to the constraints from the Dan Patterson Conservation Area and the extensive clearing of mature vegetation that would be necessary. In selecting a preferred route Hydro One aims to minimize the impact to mature vegetation where possible.
• At the south end of the route, there was lack of sufficient space to accommodate the corridor and right of way, as it would directly intersect and cross several residential dwellings.

As to the impact on agricultural land, Hydro One notes, “We’ve had the opportunity to learn about farming operations from other projects we’ve been working on to date, including having the opportunity to see first-hand the size of modern-day farming equipment.
“Additionally, once a preferred route is selected, a dedicated Hydro One real estate representative will work closely with directly impacted property owners who have the preferred transmission line right-of-way on their property.
“During these one-on-one conversations, we will collect information specific to their property and feedback will be considered where technically feasible.”
The preferred route is expected to be announced this fall and then community meetings will be scheduled.
In the meantime, project team members are at the Holiday Inn Express in St. Thomas every Tuesday and Wednesday (until August 28) to meet community members and respond to questions and concerns.
To book an appointment, email community.relations@hydroone.com or call 1-877-345-6799.

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And a reminder, I can be heard weekday afternoons as news anchor and reporter on 94.1 myFM in St. Thomas. As always, your comments and input are appreciated.