Skip to main content
Local CFFO Districts Host Successful All-Candidates Night for Lambton Kent Middlesex By-Election
April 26, 2024 | Cambridge, ON
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Local CFFO Districts Host Successful All-Candidates Night for Lambton Kent Middlesex By-Election
On Tuesday, April 23, 2024 the Christian Farmers Federation of Ontario (CFFO) districts of Lambton, Kent, and Middlesex recently hosted a successful All-Candidates Night for the Lambton Kent Middlesex By-Election. The event aimed to provide a platform for the rural and community voice to be heard by local candidates, informing the community on policies and opinions crucial to the future Member of Provincial Parliament (MPP) of the riding.
With over 100 attendees from Lambton, Kent, and Middlesex, the event featured debates, questions, and informative discussions. Five of the eight candidates on the ballot participated, including Liberal candidate Cathy Burghardt-Jesson, NDP representative Kathryn Shailer, Keith Benn of the New Blue Party, Cynthia Workman with the Ontario Party, and Stephen R. Campbell of the None of the Above Direct Democratic Party. Although absent, candidates Progressive Conservative candidate Steve Pinsonneault, the Green Party’s Andraena Tilgner, and Family Rights Party candidate Hilda Walton were acknowledged.
Key issues discussed during the event revolved around the significance of agriculture and the importance of preserving farmland. Candidates expressed the need to keep rural lands for agriculture rather than paving them over for development. Cathy Burghardt-Jesson emphasized the importance of comprehensive land-use planning that considers all sectors and involves municipalities to balance the power of developers. Kathryn Shailer stressed the importance of preserving prime agricultural land, as once it's gone, it's gone. Keith Benn advocated for "greenbelt-type protections for prime farmland."
The audience's positive response was evident, with nearly every response from the candidates regarding protecting farmland met with applause.
Suzanna Westerhof, CFFO Middlesex President, expressed satisfaction with the turnout and the number of questions related to rural issues and farmland protection. John Zekveld, CFFO Lambton President, initiated the evening with a meaningful devotion that set the tone for open and productive debate.
John Zekveld emphasized the importance of events like these, stating that they provide an opportunity for CFFO members and the community to witness that the CFFO truly embodies faith, family, and farming, ensuring a farming future for families.