By Jacob Fehr
LAST Thursday, the six federal election candidates vying to represent Haldimand-Norfolk in Parliament sat together before a crowd of over 260 people at the Royal Canadian Legion in Simcoe for the Simcoe & District Chamber of Commerce’s Debate Night.
Sitting left to right were candidates Lily Eggink (Christian Heritage Party of Canada), Henry Geissler (People’s Party of Canada), Nathan Hawkins (Green Party of Canada), Shannon Horner-Shepherd (New Democratic Party), Dr. Leslyn Lewis (Conservative Party of Canada), and Colin Walsh (Liberal Party of Canada).
People packed into the room from when the doors opened at 6:30 p.m. until shortly after the debate started at 7 p.m., though organizers said some arrived as early as 5:30 p.m. Many who arrived late stood or sat in aisles beside rows of chairs.
As the audience entered, organizers asked people whether they had decided who they would vote for in the election. Out of 267 respondents, 176 said yes, 62 said no, 26 said they’d already voted, and three declined to answer.
While candidates prepared for the debate, some engaged with each other amicably on stage, including Dr. Lewis and Mr. Walsh. Their reciprocal cordiality before the debate contrasted with the reproach each directed toward the other’s party during the debate.
The event opened with introductions from all candidates. Afterward, moderators Sue Downs and Emma Brown asked them 13 questions submitted by community members and organizations, allowing each to answer. Once all had responded, they could briefly rebut any opponent’s answer. Following the questions, each candidate gave concluding remarks.
During his introduction, Mr. Walsh of Simcoe, a French Immersion elementary school teacher, emphasized that Norfolk is his home and the importance of local representation. He said he decided to seek election after he looked to get involved with a local Liberal candidate and discovered there wasn’t one. Instead, organizers asked him to run for the party. When he asked his daughter what she thought about the idea, she “reminded me of the importance of standing up for people—standing up for people without a voice,” and told him to do it.
Ms. Eggink of Port Dover said she’s “a single mother, a small business owner, and a missionary here to fight for what is right,” not a politician. She said she feels compelled to run for office due to her Christian beliefs. She implored conservatives to vote for her party rather than “the lesser of two evils,” and expressed her party’s opposition to abortion and medical assistance in dying (MAID), among other things.
Ms. Horner-Shepherd of Port Dover said she’s a proud single mother with 27 years of experience as a steelworker at Stelco. She said she wants to represent “working families” from our community, adding that “rural Canadians seem to be left out of the political race.” She also underscored the value of the region’s agriculture.
“I’m running because I think we deserve better in Haldimand-Norfolk,” she said.
Dr. Lewis of Dunnville, a lawyer and the riding’s incumbent MP, told the crowd, “Canada is at a crossroads,” and should reassess whether it wishes to continue down its current course set by the Liberal government. She said one in six residents in the riding is experiencing food insecurity, and “young people have given up on the dream of ever owning a home.” She said that she’s been honoured to represent the community and would be honoured to “continue the fight for a prosperous Haldimand-Norfolk.”
Mr. Geissler said, “The role of government is to protect its citizens and provide a legal framework that allows for a free, functioning society.” He said the federal government currently exceeds this role to its citizens’ detriment, describing Canadian dollars sent to other countries as wasted money. His party would pause new immigration to Canada until housing becomes less scarce and then reduce immigration levels thereafter.
Mr. Hawkins of Kitchener said he loves Haldimand-Norfolk, its beauty, and its friendly people. He said he’s spent a lot of time in the riding and wants to retire here. He talked about the importance of balancing development in the riding with its agriculture. “There’s a lot to offer here. We need to protect our agriculture from the threat of sprawl coming in,” he said.
The candidates received questions about issues on the minds of Haldimand-Norfolk residents, such as which party is best prepared to manage Canada’s relationship with the United States and President Donald Trump.
Mr. Hawkins and Ms. Horner-Shepherd refused to refer to U.S. President Trump by name—the latter received some laughs from the audience for calling him “he-who-can’t-be-named.”
Responding to that question, Mr. Geissler said it’s a “losing battle” to fight a trade war with the U.S., and his party would appease rather than resist. He suggested that the fact Canada didn’t receive a reprieve from tariffs last week when other countries did shows it’s better not to resist.
Mr. Hawkins said, “Everybody’s talking about elbows up. I think we need arms out.” He pointed out that many Americans oppose the change in their country’s relationship with Canada and proposed working closer with our sympathetic neighbours.
Ms. Horner-Shepherd said she’s worried about tariffs as a steelworker and that everyone knows her party’s position that Canada “will never be the 51st state—that’s not going to happen.” She underscored the value of diversifying Canadian trade and removing barriers to interprovincial trade, adding that “it’s really important that we reject trade deals that are going to sell out our jobs.”
Dr. Lewis said part of Canada’s response to the U.S. should be “strengthening our economy, which has been weakened by the Liberal policies over the last 10 years.” She said everyone agrees Canada will never be part of the U.S. and pointed to policies in her party’s platform, such as the Keep Canadians Working Fund, which she said would reinforce the country’s economy by providing “loans to keep people employed.”
Mr. Walsh implicitly agreed that Canada should reinforce its economy against threats from south of the border and said one way to do it is to “strengthen our supply chains and invest in the infrastructure that gets our products, minerals, and natural resources where they need to go quickly and reliably.” He mentioned some of his party’s policy objectives would reduce interprovincial trade barriers.
Ms. Eggink said Canada “should not try” to win a trade war with the U.S. because it cannot win that battle. She proposed the country should improve its position at the bargaining table with its closest neighbour by bolstering its border security, which has the additional benefit of making the country safer.
“Canada must also encourage manufacturing in Canada, and eliminate interprovincial trade barriers,” she said.
According to the Maple Leaf’s informal applause-o-meter, Dr. Lewis received the loudest response from the crowd during the event when she rebutted a comment from Mr. Walsh regarding the federal carbon tax.
Providing a rebuttal after the second question, he said, “I do believe that the carbon tax has been addressed by Mark Carney within the first week. It’s been cancelled. So I don’t know why you keep referring to it Ms. Lewis—sorry, my opponent.”
Dr. Lewis responded, “The carbon tax has not been cancelled. It has been temporarily reduced to zero, and it can be—it can only be cancelled by an act of parliament, and so please do not fall for the trap. It will be increased after the election by the same Mark Carney.”
After she received applause, the moderator scolded the audience, reminding them to hold their applause for the end. The tension between attendees’ desire to express approval and the moderators’ rules remained throughout the event, but the audience largely refrained from subsequent eruptions of support or disapproval.
In their conclusions, each candidate left the crowd with a message to take home.
Mr. Walsh said this election is about people, not party politics. He stressed the importance of this election given the circumstances Canada is in and said, “Let’s choose a path forward that includes everyone.”
“I’m running because I believe our community deserves better,” he said.
Mr. Hawkins re-affirmed that he’s not a politician; he said he doesn’t enjoy knocking on doors, and the audience laughed when he added that homeowners don’t like it either. He said it’s time for Canada to capitalize on its newfound national unity.
“Let’s bring Canada together for everybody. Solidarity—let’s keep it going.”
Mr. Geissler cautioned that “government policies are leading to the disintegration of the Canadian identity,” adding, “It’s getting harder to celebrate this country.” He implored listeners to “try an experiment with me” by voting for his party to change national policies.
Dr. Lewis said Canadians are hurting because of the Liberal government and cited some of her party’s platform policies intended to reduce that harm, such as permanently eliminating all carbon taxes. She warned only a new government would bring change.
“The Liberals made this mess, and the truth is we cannot rely on the arsonist to put out the fire.”
Ms. Horner-Shepherd said Canadians keep electing Liberal and Conservative governments, and nothing changes for them. She called out Dr. Lewis and Mr. Walsh for “shooting potshots at each other across the bow” and said the riding needs a representative from the area, like her, “to hold the others accountable” in Ottawa.
“I’m not a career politician by any stretch of the imagination; I’m just a steelworker. But I do know you, and I do know what would be best for us here in Haldimand-Norfolk.”
Ms. Eggink said she wants to protect traditional Christian values and social structures. In her view, the right to life is supreme and gives meaning to other rights.
“Vote for a party you can stand next to before God,” she said.
After the debate, all candidates received a hearty round of applause. Some lingered to chat with the audience as folks streamed out of the building.
Organizers surveyed attendees again on the way out, asking if the debate changed their voting intention. Of 188 respondents, 25 said yes, 137 said no, 22 were unsure, and four declined to answer.
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Originally published April 16, 2025
