Here we are in the final days of the by-election called here in Milton. Five things that may help you make your decision.
The Campbellville Quarry: The Campaign ends where it began
A rally was held Saturday at Victoria Park in the Rain against expansion at the Campbellville Quarry. NDP Leader Marit Stiles, and Liberal leader Bonnie Crombie attended speaking to the crowd, and supporting their respective candidates. Green Party Candidate Kyle Hutton was there with the support of Aislinn Klancy, one of only two Green Party MPP’s sitting in the Legislature. It’s covered off in a thread here
More Trains for Milton?
A big buzz announcement amounted to very little for Milton. The addition of a single train each morning, and afternoon rush hour to be exact. I go through the sordid history of this promise in a previous newsletter, linked below.
The First by-election Forum, or was it? Hard to Tell
There was one forum I didn't go to. And it was tough to figure out if it was in fact an election forum. There was little advertising, accept from social media posts of a group known as the Milton Palestine Action Committee. It was at the Italian Cultural Club of Milton on April 22. I hope they talked about the quarry, education, healthcare, land use, and affordable housing, alongside the group’s stated intent of advocating for the ending of ethnic cleansing and genocide of Palestinians and a free Palestine.
Candidates for the Green Party, the Progressive Conservative Party, and the NDP attended. This forum was odd for many reasons including the use of window coverings and the keffiyehs being worn by many attendees. Both of which are not by themselves criminal. But when you put the group's goal together with the event’s timing on the first night of Passover, it looks anti-Semitic. Regardless, candidates would do well to remember they will be the MPP for all Milton residents.
Farmers suffer the effects of Climate Change Too:
Although farmers are mentioned a lot in the party platforms; it is most often in the context of farm-to-table, a way of mitigating climate change. None look at the damage it does to farmers. I report on it the for the Milton Reporter.
The lack of PC candidate at CFUW forum
It’s been a trend the last couple of cycles where candidates from Progressive Conservative Party do not attend all-candidate meetings. During the 2022 campaign I heard candidates were being told not to attend them. When the by-election was called I thought with the party being represented by a well-known local face in Zee Hamid this time might be different.
But sure enough, when it came to the forum organized by the local chapter of the Canadian Federation of University Women (CFUW) he wasn’t there. While it was a pleasant discussion, fewer voices is bad for democracy. And I don’t get wasting the chance to get your point across, especially in a by-election.
Milton voters go to the polls Thursday May 2, 2024. For the information on where, when, and how to vote visit Elections Ontario website
Politicians Will always over promise and under deliver especially during elections.
I was told that the mayor's breakfast all day train service will not be coming to Milton until at least 2031.