HomeMy WebLinkAboutLakeshore Advance, 2011-09-28, Page 7Wednesday, September 28, 2011 • Lakeshore Advance 7
Seven candidates running in Lambton-Kent-Middlesex
Tyler Kula
NI Agency
The Lambton- Kent -Middle-
sex riding covers an area larger.
than Prince Edward island and
includes almost 76,000 eligible
voters.
It includes Lambton Shores,
Brooke-Alvinston, Dawn-
Euphemia and Warwick; Kettle
Point and Walpole Island
reserves in Lambton County;
part of Chatham -Kent, north of
the Thames River; and north
Middlesex County.
Below, in alphabetical order,
are the seven candidates seek-
ing a seek on Oct. 6,
JAMIE ARMSTRONG: GREEN
The 49 -year-old married
father of five farms cash crops
across the road from his origi-
nal family farm in Dawn-
Euphemia and is the emer-
gency response co-ordinator
and fire chief at the Sarnia Sun-
cor refinery,
He worked as an operator at
Suncor for 15 years and a
supervisor for five, including a
stint on the employees bargain-
ing association.
Armstrong has coached
minor hockey and is a member
of the Alvinston Fair Board. He
still possesses the original 1848
Crown deed his great grandfa-
ther received for the farm in
Dawn-Euphemia,
"It's kind of a sentimental
thing but I think it's real impor-
tant that people know I'm part
of Lambton County and Kent
County and I'm here to stay,"
he said.
Armstrong spent four years
as a Lambton Kent District
School Board trustee and
believes merging the four pub-
lic and Catholic English and
French school boards will save
$500 million in yearly adnlinis-
4ative costs,
r
Armstrong previously ran for
)rovincial government as an
independent in 2003, and
under the Greens in 2007.
Affordable green energy pro-
grams and creating green
energy Jobs are other important
issues, he said.
BRAD HARNESS: REFORM
Toronto -born, the 49 -year-
old divorced father of two lives
in Strathroy and owns two pub-
lishing businesses: Banner
Publications to Allsa Craig and
Strathroy-based Maple
Publishing.
Harness studied social sci-
ence at McMaster University
before becoming a naval officer
with the Canadian Forces. He
later studied business manage-
ment at Sheridan College.
While at school, Harness
joined the Progressive Con-
servative Association, then the
now -defunct Reform Party of
Canada, volunteering with MP
Deborah Grey and her then -
legislative assistant Stephen
!lamer:
Harness was also involved in
the local Reform Party of Can-
ada and Canadian Alliance rid-
ing association in 1998 until the
party merged with the federal
PC Party.
'The Reform Party of Ontario
was launched in 2007 and 1lar-
ness was ratified leader in Sep-
tember. He ran as one of two
candidates in the election.
A recreational distance run-
ner, cycler, cross country skier
and volleyball player, Ilarness
has coached minor soccer and
baseball, and writes historical
romance novels.
He also paints landscapes,
wildlife, marine art and
portraits.
Job creation is the number
one election issue, he said,
adding Reform is committed to
making MPPs more accounta-
ble to local ridings by eliminat-
ing political parties.
"Under consensual govern-
ment there are no parties, there
are no party leaders so the con-
cept is who is hest to represent
our riding," he said.
JOE HILL: NDP
A federal NDP candidate in
2011 and 2008, Hill, 69, lives in
Sarnia where he owns T.J. 11111
Storage — renting space to an
engine rebuilder, industrial
building refurbisher and bands
to practice music.
A competitive cyclist, Hill
qualified for the U.S. senior
national games earlier this year
but was unable to attend
because of the May federal
election.
()ne year ago he won a
161 -kilometre ride in Colling-
wood. He also competes in tria-
thlons and has run more than
12 marathons.
"I found long distance run•
ning was a relaxation for me,"
said trill, calling himself health
conscious.
Originally from Wallaceburg,
11111, divorced, has four children
and six grandchildren.
His work history includes
Jobs at the Royal Bank in Wal-
Iaceburg, Owen Sound and
Toronto, and in field operations
at Nortel, working around the
world.
He volunteers with the Sar-
nia-Lambton Health Coalition;
SHARE (Sarnia Handicapped
Aisling for Rehabilitation and
Equality), a Sarnia organization
that advocates for handicapped
people; with the Binational
Public Advisory Council, which
monitors environmental
impacts on the St. Clair river;
and with Lambton Elderly Out-
reach, driving people to medi-
cal appointments.
Hill said he's running
because he like the idea of rep-
resenting people and not cor-
porations. The major issue, he
said, is jobs.
TOM JACKSON: FREEDOM
Calls to the party's headquar-
ters in London were not
returned.
MONTE MCNAUGHTON: PC
Following three terms over
nine years with Newbury Town
Council, McNaughton, 34, ran
in Lambton Kent Middlesex for
the Progressive Conservatives
in 2007.
He's running this election, he
said, because Ontario needs
change.
"The path we're on under
Dalton McGuinty is the wrong
path."
Major issues including
addressing hydro bill costs,
taxes and wind turbines under
the Green Energy Act, he said.
McNaughton attended West-
ervelt Business College and the
University of Western Ontario,
he sits on the Strathroy and
District Chamber of Commerce
and is involved with the Four
Counties Ilealth Services and
Strathroy hospitals'
Foundation.
Ile owns a regional shopping
centre with his 43 -year-old
brother, employing 65 people.
The centre, including a Home
hardware Building Centre and
an auto and farm supplies
store, has been in his family
since 1948, he said.
His sister teaches in
Glencoe.
McNaughton is married, lives
in Mt. Brydges and has two
yorkshire terriers.
MARIA VAN BOMMEL:
UBERAL
A two -term MPP, Van Bom-
mel, 61, is seeking her third.
Originally from Chatham and
married for 41 years, Van Rom-
mel spent 39 years farming with
her husband, Rene, on their
Strathroy farm. They're now
retired.
The pair have five children
and 13 grandchildren.
Van Rommel served two
terms as a municipal councilor
for East Williams Township
beginning in 1995.
She served as a trustee and chair-
person on the Strathroy Middlesex
General Hospital board of governors.
She was also chairperson of the Joint
Executive for the Middlesex Hospital
Alliance.
A founding member of the Middle-
sex's Women for the Support of Agri-
culture and founder of the Ontario
Farm Women's Network, Van Rommel
was a member of the Liaison Commit-
tee of Ontario Farm Organizations,
has served as director on the Middle-
sex Federation of Agriculture and on
the Ontario Federation of
Agriculture.
She's the current parliamentary
assistant to Carol Mitchell, Minister of
Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs
and serves on a number of
committees.
Agriculture, jobs, rural health care
and green energy are big issues this
election, she said.
Van Hommel attended Centralia
College of Agricultural 'Technology,
Fanshawe College and the University
of Western Ontario for business.
She sews frequently and makes
many of her own clothes.
MARINUS VANDER VLOET:
FAMILY COALITION
Born in Strathroy, they -ear -old
dairy farmer lives at home inParkhill
with 11 of his 12 siblings and his
parents.
A consistent honours student while
attending Holy Cross Catholic Sec-
ondary School, Vander Vloet com-
pleted co-operative education pro-
grams as a small engine mechanic and
a general carpenter.
1 le is heavily involved as a treasurer,
youth leader and volunteer with the
Sacred lleart Catholic youth group in
Parkhill, and is the league convener
for men's ball hockey in Watford.
This is his first time running in pro-
vincial politics.
"Someone had to do something
with the situation of our political sys-
tem," he said.
He's hoping to get more people
interested in politics and offer other
options beyond the traditional politi-
cal parties.
Something also has to be done to
correct what's happening to the tradi-
tional family, he said, noting 50% of
marriages end in divorce.
Election Dayis
October
6th 2011.
Polis are open from 9 AM to 9 PM ET / 8 AM to 8 PM CT.
To vote in this election, you must be:
• 18 years of age or older on October 6
• a Canadian citizen, and
• a resident of Ontario
To find out where you vote, visit our website, check your
Notice of Registration card or call us. Each voting location will
have magnifiers, Braille and other tools to facilitate voting.
Don't forget to take your ID and Notice of Registration card
when you go to vote.
X
Elections
Ontario
For more information, visit our website elections.on.ca or call
1.888.888,8883 (TTY: 1.866.479.1118).
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