An election promise announced beside Kempenfelt Bay today would see $30 million invested into a reinstated fund with environmental implications.
Federal Conservative candidate John Brassard, who is the incumbent in Barrie-Innisfil, was joined by fellow Tory candidates Doug Shipley (Barrie-Springwater-Oro-Medonte) and Scot Davidson (York-Simcoe) at Kidd's Creek in Barrie on Saturday as they announced a plan to restore the Lake Simcoe Clean-up Fund.
“We were successful in reducing phosphorus levels in the lake and $60 million was invested in the Lake Simcoe Clean-Up Fund over 10 years,” said Brassard. “There were measurable results and the scientific data to prove it.”
The fund was created in 2007 by the previous Conservative government only to be cancelled in 2017 by current Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and the Liberal government.
Brassard told BarrieToday that his party cares about the environment and voters should not play into the online dialogue.
“A new Conservative government will reinstate the fund and invest $30 million over four years,” he said.
“To say the Conservative government doesn’t care about the environment just isn’t true," Brassard added. "That is a narrative being used by people who are trying to scare others into thinking this party doesn’t want to help the environment.
“Our climate plan has 55 different measures in it. It is the most comprehensive plan that an opposition party has ever put forward and it focuses on technology, not taxes.”
With all the talk of money and statistics as it pertains to the clean-up fund, Shipley told BarrieToday there's a real and important human element to the announcement.
“The personal side of this is huge; my kids live in this town,” he said. “It would be nice to have them be able to use a clean lake as we have so many years."
The federal election is Oct. 21.
