I have known Patrick Brown for more than 10 years now and this past summer I was reminded of him when I was feeding a couple thousand hungry people in the City of Barrie... all summer long.
You see, when the Barrie Municipal Non-Profit Housing Corporation (BMNPHC) informed me that I was being kicked out of one of their community rooms that I was using to feed these +2,000 people, I reached out to the Office of Doug Shipley, Doug Downey, John Brassard, Andrea Khanjin, as well as the Mayor Jeff Lehman, all the city Councillors and even the Office of Justin Trudeau, asking if any of them could help find me a new space to work out of so I can continue to feed all these hungry people. The Office of Doug Downey returned my email, saying that if they helped all these hungry people by providing a space, it would be a “misuse of government funds” and a “breach of ethics”.
WHAT!?!
Andrea Khanjin’s Office wrote me a letter of support, which was basically a request to the Charities Directorate at the CRA to hurry along my application for charitable status, so I can apply for government funding and lease a new space. Upon receiving this letter, a representative at the CRA called me and said - very angrily, that it doesn’t matter who I get to write them a letter, they will absolutely not hurry along my application because there is no good reason to. They said they haven’t done this in years and many other people are doing exactly what I’m doing. That statement right there in itself told me they still hadn’t even read my application because no one is doing what I’m doing at all.
I’ve also heard through the grapevine that John Brassard is an archaic dinosaur who doesn’t respect women. This would explain why his office never responded to a single one of my many inquiries.
“The current decision-makers dedicated to serving our community are failing miserably. It seems to me like the only thing they care about is serving themselves” - Leah Dyck
So when I was speaking to one of my volunteers during the summer while I was running my free fresh food charity, I said to her,
“Patrick Brown would never not help!”
And she said to me, “You’re right. He did so much for our community when he was here.”
Patrick’s Community Involvement
I remember how involved Patrick was in the community when he was a member of provincial parliament here in Barrie. I remember seeing him at soup kitchens and running crazy marathons. In fact, he was the one who created Hockey Night in Barrie, and it was because of HIM that so many NHL superstars showed up to that fundraiser each and every year… which included Connor McDavid by the way. It is all thanks to Patrick Brown that I own signed Connor McDavid memorabilia! Of all my selfies, the one of me holding my signed McDavid hat also shows me wearing the biggest smile I’ve ever had.
Hockey Night in Barrie has raised more than $2 million for the RVH Foundation during it’s 11-year-run. If this isn’t a show of ability to get things done, then I don’t know what is!
Actually, wait! That’s not true. Patrick’s unparalleled ability to actually make change was clearly a threat to someone and when he was forced out of his office, that’s when I realized that not even I had fully gauged just how much of a threat he really was to his opponents.
My personal experience with Patrick is that he has always been a really good guy, and if any of you know me, even if just a little, then you know how critical and judgmental I can be of a person’s character. I actually don’t think there is a person anywhere that is more capable or more qualified to be our next Prime Minister than Mr. Patrick Brown.
That’s why I’ve registered to vote for the very first time in my life; at the old age of 33, and it’s because he’s won me over.
How to Register to Vote
If you would like to register to vote as well, it’s costs $15 and all you have to do is sign up and answer a few questions.
Once you’ve registered, let Patrick Brown’s team know by clicking on the ‘Already a Member’ button, which will sign you up to receive a friendly reminder when it’s time to cast your vote.
Admittedly, I don’t know anything about Patrick’s opponents - or even who they are, but what are the chances they can actually accomplish something? From the little experience I have interacting with the current politicians in Simcoe County, I know that finding one with actual influence is just as unlikely as finding a needle in a haystack.
