Bruce Hyer is driven to challenge the belief that opposition politicians can’t make a difference.
The incumbent Thunder Bay-Superior North MP points to the Lake Superior National Marine Conservation Area, which recently passed, and his Climate Change Accountability Act, which in 2010 passed the House of Commons before being blocked by the Senate, as two major examples
“It’s a myth that to get things done you have to be a member of a large party. Indeed the opposite is often true,” he said.
“Often a representative from a smaller party can work across party lines. The three main parties are so tribal they hardly speak to each other at all. Quite often I find I can be a go-between, a compromiser, a facilitator.”
The 69-year-old Hyer was first elected to the seat in 2008. However, this re-election campaign is much different. Formerly a member of the NDP before turning independent following conflict with party leadership over his refusal to always commit to voting along party lines, this marks his first time running as a member of the Green Party.
“The Green Party has a policy where MPs not only may put their constituents first, they must put their constituents first,” he said.
Hyer projects Oct. 19 to produce a Liberal or NDP minority government with the Greens holding the balance of power, similar to the NDP under then-leader Jack Layton between 2008 and 2011. That would give the party a role in holding the government accountable.
If re-elected, Hyer intends to push for the next step of the Lake Superior National Marine Conservation Area, which is to make sure the money flows from Ottawa to follow through on the promise that it will bring tens of millions of dollars, thousands of jobs, a substantial tourism boost and 2.5 millions of acres of environmental protection to the north shore.
“I’m going to make sure the $1 billion commitment from the federal government by the Conservatives actually flows for the Ring of Fire infrastructure, but only after we have a good plan to do so. We want to spend that $1 billion developing infrastructure north of (the 50th parallel) but we don’t want to do it in a foolish or hasty manner,” he said.
