Campbell to carry Green Party banner in provincial election

By Mark Pavilons

A lack of political will has led Laura Campbell to run for office as a Green Party candidate in Dufferin-Caledon.

Campbell, a local business owner, and a mother of two, holds a Master of Science from the London School of Economics and Politics, and a Bachelor of Arts from Western University.

Campbell said she has a deep understanding of the important local issues facing Dufferin-Caledon and previously ran as a candidate in 2018.

She currently holds the post of Critic on Advanced Education and Skills Development on the Green Party of Ontario's (GPO) shadow cabinet.

“I have always been deeply engaged in politics, both around issues of biodiversity and our ongoing climate crisis, and also in areas such as education, social justice, and affordable housing,” Laura said. “Over the past decade, I have advocated strongly for local food, and against large infrastructure or resource extraction projects that only benefit a select few rather than the hard-working people of this riding.”

“I'm very excited to have Laura join our team,” stated Mike Schreiner, Leader of the Green Party of Ontario. “Her perspective as a fellow small business owner will be greatly appreciated as well as her passion and advocacy for action on critical issues like local food and the climate crisis.”

Laura has been an environmental activist since she was a young child.

She was raised in the country where her neighbours have always been farmers, observing their wisdom and also their struggles. Her political engagement began as an undergraduate student where she became involved in environmental advocacy groups because she was deeply concerned about the lack of commitment on behalf of all governments on meeting the Kyoto Protocol targets.

By representing the Green Party, Laura hopes to show others that we must be bold and imaginative in how we go about making these changes.

The status quo has failed us, she contends. Laura says she believes that the people in her community and across Ontario deserve better leadership. We need a government that works for the people – in earnest.

The 2018 campaign put fuel in her tank and she's ready for this year's election with renewed vigor.

“Like so many citizens, I'm increasingly dismayed by the lack of political will among our leaders to make Ontario a caring and prosperous place. I love my home riding. What happens here matters to me greatly. I ran in the 2018 provincial election here in Dufferin-Caledon, and I was encouraged by my community to do so again.”

Campbell stresses that she has no interest in “playing politics.”

“I'm a working parent who often struggles just like everyone else. I want to be a team player, and work with our leader, Mike Schreiner, to create an Ontario where we have high quality services, funded by a robust economy where no one is left behind. I want to help build an Ontario that is prosperous again. Where everyone feels that prosperity.”

If elected, she vows to work collaboratively with other parties to embrace Green solutions to our most pressing problems.

“Instead of blaming and shaming the other elected members, I would show them how Ontario can build livable and affordable communities, preserve farmland, invest in the innovative entrepreneurs among us, and improve our frontline services so we can avoid the many tragedies we've seen throughout the pandemic.”

Some of the most pressing issues in our province today, she said, are the lack of affordable housing, climate change and how it has already begun to impact our everyday lives. She also wants to address what she sees as “the slow and steady erosion” of our public services. This last part is crucial.

“Whether healthcare, mental healthcare or education, – all have been neglected and underfunded by past governments. These public services need to be comprehensive for all of us to thrive.”

As a small business owner, Campbell says she sees the impact of the affordability crisis first hand.

“One of the number one issues I hear from colleagues in the small business community is just how hard it is to find staff. One of the reasons why staffing challenges are so immense these days is because most workers cannot afford to pay for housing in the communities where they work.

“Whether in downtown Toronto, or Orangeville, the cost of a mortgage or even rent is beyond reach for most folks. This reality makes it hard to recruit and retain high quality staff that are crucial assets in any business. This isn't just true for the business community – t's also the case for other essential services, like long term care. 

“The affordability crisis means young people can't afford to permanently settle in communities of their choice, and the older working population can't afford to retire or downsize. 

“These are the everyday issues that keep us from pursuing climate action in earnest. We are so busy dealing with crisis after crisis that we haven't had a chance to plan for an uncertain future. But climate change will soon make life entirely unaffordable: home insurance will be through the roof, gas even more unaffordable, and health impacts that our system cannot bear.” 

The Green Party, she says, has a realistic, detailed, and comprehensive plan to address the housing crisis. By building gentle density within existing urban boundaries (think duplexes, triplexes, nanny suites, garden suites, laneway housing all with access to transit), we can increase the housing stock closer to where people work. We need the “missing middle” in our housing market.

“We are also the first political party to have a standalone mental health platform. We believe mental health IS health. In a Green caring economy, mental health services would be covered under OHIP and children wouldn't have to wait 9-18 months to access mental health care. 

“And no surprise, we have a fantastic climate action plan that is rooted in creating prosperity through the new climate economy. We want to make Ontario a leader in clean tech. The billions in revenue from transitioning to a clean economy would help fund the frontline services Ontarians deserve.

“Finally, we want to restore water and nature. By expanding the Greenbelt and adding a ‘Bluebelt' to protect our drinking water, we will ensure our food and water security as we enter into a volatile climate future. As an aside, access to nature is also a key element of our collective mental health. We can't live without it.”

The Orangeville native owns a restaurant and has been “talking to folks every day for the last 12 years since we've opened about the issues of the day.”

“I share their love of our green spaces, our hiking trails, our restaurants, and our arts scene. It's truly a special place.”

Campbell said she's also passionate about the arts community, calling them a “crucial part of the fibre of our community.”

She's an admitted horseback rider turned cyclist. There is a big cycling community up here: road, gravel, and mountain biking.

As Greens, they don't believe in hyper-partisan politics.

“We believe in working across party lines, all hands on deck, to address the most pressing issues facing our society today. We want to make Ontario a place where everyone can reach their maximum potential. Where homes are affordable, where climate action creates prosperity and the jobs of the future, where racial and gender inequity are a thing of the past. 

“I am working hard to be your voice at Queen's Park, because so many people in our community are struggling. They can't afford to live here anymore. Affordability is a major problem that we have to address immediately – ot via one-time payments for a license plate sticker refund, but by creating the conditions for a major economic boom in the new climate economy (like places around the world are already doing). 

“We are standing on prime farmland, the Headwaters of the GTA, among Forests and wetlands which are home to some of the world's most important at-risk species. Communities in every hamlet have been fighting their conservative MPP to save these things for decades. I personally know activists who have given over all of the time to fighting zoning changes, day in, day out.

“Our representatives have not been listening to the people. Our citizens don't need or want massive homes. They want to enjoy pristine natural places with their families and have a place to call home that they can afford. They want to be able to pay for the kids to play hockey and soccer. They want to be able to go on a vacation and make some memories with their families. They want to have paid sick days so they don't have to worry about missing work. They want to be able to save for their kids' education, and their own retirement.” 

As a supporter of the Headwaters Food and Farming Alliance, she cares about the land. That's why she's been active in the campaign to stop the 413, “as it's set to destroy 2000 acres of class 1 farmland.”