​Ian Burbidge is provincial Liberal candidate in Huron-Bruce

Ian Burbidge (above) is a small-town guy who grew up in Simcoe and Port Dover. He moved to Kincardine in 1983 to teach math and music, and lives near Port Elgin with his wife, Sandy, and more than a few pets.

He has been nominated the Liberal candidate in Huron-Bruce, for the Feb. 27 provincial election, states a press release issued by the Huron-Bruce Provincial Liberal Association.

In this expensive and unnecessary election, Burbidge is entering the fray because he believes in public education. He also believes in universal public health care, in democracy, elections and just the right amount of government regulation. He wants to do something about the runaway climate and the rapid destruction of valuable farmland.

Burbidge remembers when a previous Progressive Conservative (PC) premier was creating a crisis to bankrupt public education. Back then, Walkerton became synonymous with lack of government oversight and the tragedy of the water crisis. Twenty-five years later, it is a PC premier creating a crisis in the public health-care system and, once again, Walkerton is in the national news as thousands line up in the cold just hoping for the chance to get a spot with a family doctor.

The issue on everyone’s mind is health care. Ontario premier Doug Ford has doubled the problem of hallway health care that he had promised to eradicate way back in 2018. Millions of people can’t find a family doctor. Emergency rooms are frequently closed at many of the rural hospitals. People are having to wait years for procedures unless they can pay for upgrades to their care.

People say you can’t fix the problem just by throwing money at it, but Burbidge wants to know why Ontario funds health care at the lowest rate in Canada, almost $800 less per person than the median provinces of Alberta and Prince Edward Island.

Along with many other Huron-Bruce constituents, Burbidge is tired of three-word slogans and those stupid ball caps. Good government is hard work. It takes careful planning and thoughtful implementation. The Liberal party has a plan to help with the high cost of housing, a plan to ease the pain of high prices and a plan to ensure that every Ontarian has access to a family doctor.

In this campaign Burbidge looks forward to meeting you, listening to your concerns, your ideas, and your hopes for the future. He will work hard for you every day. With your help, he and the Ontario Liberals will do their best to make the voices of rural and small-town Ontario an important part of the conversation at Queen’s Park.