SIMCOE-GREY: Liberal candidate sees housing as key for recovery

Editor's note: BarrieToday is providing our readers with profiles on the federal candidates in the Simcoe-Grey riding, which has boundaries that abut the City of Barrie's western edge. The riding includes Essa Township and the village of Angus. For more local coverage on the federal election, visit our Canada Votes 2021 page. 
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The Simcoe-Grey Liberal candidate is driven by a passion for politics and concern for those who cannot find an affordable home. 

Bren Munro has been working toward a Liberal candidacy for three election campaigns. She was part of the Liberal nomination race for the provincial election in 2018 and the federal election in 2019. This is her first time as a candidate on the ballot and she’s approaching the work from a place of hope. 

“I’m in politics because I have hope that when people come together we can make things better for each other,” said Munro. “I believe a high tide lifts all boats.” 

The Collingwood resident owns an event planning business and worked as a political analyst early in her career.

“Lack of affordable housing is one of the issues close to my heart,” she said. “We’re only as rich as our most vulnerable – the ones who can’t find housing or food. … We need to lift them up.” 

She has noticed the issue impacting the entire riding and especially the north end where restaurants and tourism businesses are facing worker shortages. 

“We’ve got a real high-low thing going on here,” she said. “It’s a bit of a mess, really.” 

For Munro, good government policies help move everyone forward, which is the Liberal Party slogan during this campaign. 

"Forward for everyone means everyone benefits," said Munro. "Not just the middle class, but the vulnerable, too.

"I think affordable housing is key to Canada's recovery," she added. 

Her strategy during the campaign is to meet with as many people as possible, to find common ground and to always listen to the other side. 

“You try to go forward and put policy in place that helps people,” she said. “It’s the only way to do it. ... It's a big plan, but the Liberals are good policy makers.”

On her campaign trail, she said what she hears most from residents in the riding is they are worried about the impacts of COVID-19 and they are concerned about climate change because of recent fires, droughts and floods. 

In particular, she said residents are nervous about the uncertainty of the future because of the widespread impacts of the global pandemic on many aspects of the Canadian (even global) economy. 

“People are weary, but they’re going to stay the course," she said. "They’re progressive and they’re going to stay the course and so am I. We’re going to stay together.” 

Recently, during a day on the shore of Georgian Bay, Munro met the Georgian Bay Forever team as they were doing a shoreline clean-up. She was inspired by their work.

Water quality and protection, is something the Liberal candidate hopes can remain non-partisan. 

"All the parties can help out," she said. 

Munro is encouraging residents of Simcoe-Grey to vote on or before Sept. 20. 

“Who do the people want to carry us through the rest of the pandemic? That’s the question,” she said.

Munro is one of six candidates running in Simcoe-Grey. The other five candidates include Terry Dowdall (Conservative), Ken Stouffer (Christian Heritage Party), Lucas Gillies (NDP), Nick Clayton (Green Party), and Adam Minatel (PPC). 

The federal election is Sept. 20, with advance voting beginning Sept. 10.