Category Archives: Provincial politics

08.02.25
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Andrew Lawton uses the occasion of the MP-MPP luncheon to announce the launch of his business advisory roundtables

Normally, events like the MP-MPP Luncheon and Mayor’s Luncheon, hosted each year by the St. Thomas & District Chamber of Commerce, are fairly subdued gatherings.
There was a luncheon a couple of years ago, following the significant land acquisition by the City of St. Thomas, where former Central Elgin Mayor Sally Martyn dominated the Q&A period, targeting Mayor Joe Preston.
But despite the stifling heat inside the Elgin County Railway Museum this past Monday (July 28), this MP-MPP get-together did have its moments, no doubt the result of the Trump tariffs impacting almost every facet of life as we know it.
The answer to literally all questions directed toward the two participants ultimately referenced the tariffs in some form.

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07.19.25
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New legislation gives the St. Thomas Police Service enhanced resources to combat illegal drug activity

For St. Thomas Police Chief Marc Roskamp, new provincial legislation designed to ensure safer streets and stronger communities is a step toward reducing illegal drug activity while also providing support for affected communities, promoting safety, and encouraging rehabilitation.
Bill 10, the Protect Ontario Through Safer Streets and Stronger Communities Act, is a broad ‘justice-and-safety’ omnibus bill passed into law on June 5th of this year.
As noted on the Canadian Mental Health Association website, “An omnibus bill is one that introduces or amends multiple new or existing laws at once. Each new or existing law that Bill 10 impacts is addressed in a separate ‘Schedule’ of the Bill. Schedule 8 is a new law titled the Measures Respecting Premises with Illegal Drug Activity Act.”

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06.28.25
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Celebrating The Annex in St. Thomas: ‘When the pain of quitting is lower than the pain of continuing to use, that’s when people are ready for success’ – Executive Director Mike Toth

The Annex, the addictions resource centre and outreach program of the Grace Café, is dedicated to helping individuals access addiction services, programs and supports.
We last wrote about the Talbot Street facility two years ago this month on the occasion of its first anniversary.
The goal of The Annex is to positively impact the lives of individuals facing the many challenges of substance dependency.
It does this through addiction support groups, substance abuse resources and addiction counselling.
In a safe, compassionate, and non-judgmental environment.
We caught up with Executive Director Mike Toth this week, on the third anniversary of The Annex, the brainchild of Ginny and Don Trepanier.

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04.26.25
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The four federal candidates in Elgin-St. Thomas-London South faced off for the first – and only – time in 2025 election campaign

The final all-candidate debate was held this past Wednesday at the Keystone Complex in Shedden, with all four candidates participating, fielding pre-selected, ag-related questions.
The Elgin Federation of Agriculture hosted the event, and moderated by President Greg Fentie in front of a gathering of approximately 100 attendees.
The four candidates are Stephen R. Campbell, People’s Party of Canada; David Goodwin, Liberal Party of Canada; Andrew Lawton, Conservative Party of Canada; and Paul Pighin, New Democratic Party.
The only occasion where all four were together was the meet and greet hosted by the St. Thomas and District Chamber of Commerce at the CASO station in St. Thomas.

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04.19.25
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Strong Mayor Powers not required for St. Thomas: ‘We have a council that gets stuff done because it agrees with the direction of the city’ – Mayor Joe Preston

The province proposes expanding strong mayor powers to the heads of councils in another 169 municipalities.
This would include St. Thomas, Aylmer, the Municipality of Central Elgin and the Township of Malahide.
The intent is to streamline local governance and help ensure municipalities have the necessary tools to reduce obstacles hindering new housing and infrastructure development.
In a media release, Rob Flack, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, stressed, “Heads of Council are key partners in our efforts to build homes and infrastructure across the province.

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04.05.25
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‘You have to put your constituency first, always’ and that in a nutshell explains the lack of endorsement from former MP Karen Vecchio

If you’ve known Karen Vecchio for even the shortest time she served as MP for Elgin-Middlesex-London (EML), you would have sensed that community comes first.
She was elected by members of the community to serve all members of the community.
EML PC MPP Rob Flack summed it up best at Vecchio’s retirement party last month.
One of the attributes that Flack most admires in Vecchio is that she is ecumenical.
“Not in the religious sense, but in terms of working across party lines, working across issues throughout this community that maybe have no partisan or political colours.

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03.22.25
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‘You put the constituents first’ – David Goodwin, Liberal Party nominee in Elgin-St. Thomas-London South

By tomorrow (Sunday), we will know when Ontario residents will again cast a ballot, accompanied by the rest of Canada.
Prime Minister Mark Carney is expected to favour an election on April 28.
This will be the first federal vote locally in the new riding of Elgin-St. Thomas-London South.
As a refresher, thanks to the efforts of MP Karen Vecchio, her grassroots campaigning paid off when in February of 2023, the report by the Federal Electoral Boundaries Commission for Ontario was tabled in the House of Commons and the boundary adjustment in Elgin-Middlesex-London riding turned out to be far less drastic – and disruptive – than first proposed.

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03.08.25
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‘We’ve started our homework on what we do, from a procurement point of view’ – Mayor Joe Preston on the City of St. Thomas doing its part to Buy Canadian

With Trumpian tariff roulette trending in the lives of all Canadians, it is comforting to see that the majority of the citizenry is on standby, elbows raised, and ready for action.
But what about at the municipal level?
Is the city reviewing what products and services it may have obtained through U.S. firms?
In light of the major purchase of a pumper truck for the city’s fire department on Monday’s (March 10) agenda, we checked in with Mayor Joe Preston for an update.
He advised that he had recently contacted Justin Lawrence, the city’s Director of Industrial Development, to see whether the work proceeding at Yarmouth Yards was being undertaken by U.S. firms.
“He assured me other than perhaps some pump parts or some things that are not available anywhere else (that was not the case).

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03.01.25
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‘We create the environment for people to succeed’ – PC MPP-elect Rob Flack

Calling it a great night for himself, his family and the people of Elgin-Middlesex-London, PC MPP-elect Rob Flack (shown below being hugged by MP Karen Vecchio) basked in the adoration of his supporters Thursday night at the CASO station in St. Thomas.
His win in the provincial election – the fifth straight PC win in the riding – was part and parcel of Doug Ford’s third consecutive majority government, something not witnessed since the 1950s.
“We worked really hard,” acknowledged Flack. “Again, we knocked on over 14,000 doors.
“If you really want to learn what somebody thinks or people think, knock on their door and ask them. So we’ve learned that in a big way.”

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