>> Nam: ON ELECTION NIGHT, ONE RIDING STRUCK OUT ON ITS OWN, NOT CHOOSING A CANDIDATE FROM
ONE OF THE BIG PROVINCIAL PARTIES BUT OPTING INSTEAD FOR AN INDEPENDENT CANDIDATE.
VOTERS IN HALDIMAND-NORFOLK, WHICH SPANS UP FROM THE NORTHEASTERN SHORE OF LAKE ERIE,
WENT ITS OWN WAY.
THEY ELECTED BOBBI ANN BRADY TO REPRESENT THEM.
THAT HASN'T HAPPENED IN ALMOST 30 YEARS IN ONTARIO.
AND BOBBI ANN BRADY JOINS US NOW FROM SIMCOE, ONTARIO TO TELL US HOW SHE DID IT.
HELLO >> Bobbi Ann: HI.
HOW ARE YOU?
>> Nam: WE'VE BEEN BUZZING ABOUT THIS INTERVIEW, AND IT'S SO GREAT THAT YOU CAN SPEND SOME
TIME WITH US.
SO I WANT TO START OFF WITH SOME FOOTAGE FROM OUR OWN ELECTION NIGHT COVERAGE.
STEVE PAIKIN WAS SO SHOCKED BY THE VOTES YOU WERE GETTING, HE COULD BARELY BELIEVE HIS EYES.
SHELDON, PLEASE ROLL.
>> Steve: LET'S DO ONE MORE PC PROBLEMATIC RIDING.
I THINK WE HAVE ONE MORE, HALDIMAND-NORFOLK, RIGHT.
WELL, CAN THAT BE RIGHT?
THAT CAN'T BE RIGHT.
IS THAT RIGHT?
>> THAT'S WILD.
>> Steve: GUYS, YOU'VE GOT TO CHECK THAT.
THAT IS ONE OF THE SAFEST CONSERVATIVE SEATS IN THE PROVINCE MAY NOT GO CONSERVATIVE
TONIGHT BECAUSE THE PEOPLE THERE WERE MORE LOYAL TO TOBY BARRETT AND DON'T LIKE THE WAY HE WAS
SCREWED OVER BY THE PREMIER'S OFFICE.
IT IS INCREDIBLY RARE FOR AN INDEPENDENT TO WIN A SEAT AT QUEEN'S PARK.
IT'S HAPPENED BEFORE BUT IT'S INCREDIBLY RARE.
THE TORIES GET DEFEATED IN HALDIMAND-NORFOLK.
>> Nam: SOME OF THE LANGUAGE THAT WAS USED THERE IN REACTION, IT WAS WILD, AND STEVE PAIKIN
SAID THAT YOU WERE SCREWED OVER.
I'D RATHER SAY THAT YOU WERE DONE DIRTY.
BUT HOW DID THAT WIN FEEL?
YOU BECAME THE FIRST INDEPENDENT MPP ELECTED IN THE PROVINCE IN MORE THAN 100 YEARS WHO HADN'T
PREVIOUSLY RUN UNDER A PARTY BANNER.
ARE YOU STILL PROCESSING THAT FEELING?
>> Bobbi Ann: I'M STILL PROCESSING IT, BUT I FEEL GRATEFUL.
I THINK THAT THE PEOPLE OF HALDIMAND-NORFOLK WERE EXTREMELY COURAGEOUS GOING TO THE BALLOT
BOX.
THEY WERE EXPECTED TO GO TO THE BALLOT BOX AND TICK OFF ONE OF THE TOP THREE PARTIES, AND THEY
WENT AND THEY DID SOMETHING THAT WASN'T EXPECTED OF THEM.
AND I'M JUST GRATEFUL BECAUSE THEY'VE SENT A MESSAGE TO ALL POLITICAL PARTIES, NOT JUST THE
PC PARTY, BUT TO ALL POLITICAL PARTIES THAT YOU CAN'T CONTINUALLY DISRESPECT PEOPLE.
YOU CAN'T TAKE THEIR VOTE AND YOU CAN'T TAKE THEIR MONEY FOR GRANTED.
AT SOME POINT YOU STAND UP AND YOU'RE COUNTED.
AND THAT'S WHAT HALDIMAND-NORFOLK DID.
I'M STILL SO GRATEFUL.
I'M IN AWE THAT SO MANY PEOPLE WENT AND MADE THAT VERY BRAVE DECISION.
>> Nam: YOU HAD SO MANY MOUNTAINS TO CLIMB, AND STEVE MENTIONED THAT YOU WERE SCREWED
OVER.
CAN YOU GIVE US A BIT OF BACKGROUND, WHAT HAPPENED IN THAT RIDING?
>> Bobbi Ann: IN A NUTSHELL, EVERY OUTGOING MPP WAS EITHER ABLE TO APPOINT THEIR SUCCESSOR.
AS FAR AS I KNOW TOBY BARRETT WAS THE ONLY MPP WHO WASN'T AFFORDED ONE OF THOSE OPTIONS.
>> Nam: WHO WAS TOBY BARRETT?
TOBY BARRETT WAS THE PERSON YOU WERE WORKING WITH?
HE WAS THE -- >> Bobbi Ann: THAT'S RIGHT, ABSOLUTELY.
AND I'VE WORKED FOR TOBY FOR 23 YEARS.
SO WHEN THE PREMIER ASKED TOBY WHO HE WOULD SUGGEST AS HIS SUCCESSOR, TOBY SAID I WOULD
PICK BOBBI ANN BRADY.
SHE HAS BEEN MY EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT FOR 23 YEARS.
AND THE PREMIER GOT BACK TO TOBY AND SAID, SHE'S NOT OUR CHOICE AND THIS IS WHO I'M GOING TO
APPOINT.
AND AT THAT POINT TOBY SAID I CAN'T CONDONE YOUR APPOINTMENT.
THIS PERSON HAS NEVER BEEN SEEN LOCALLY AS A CONSERVATIVE, HASN'T HELD A MEMBERSHIP, HASN'T
ATTENDED EVENTS, HASN'T DONATED.
WE CAN'T -- AS LOCAL CONSERVATIVES, WE CAN'T CONDONE THIS APPOINTMENT.
AND THAT'S WHEN I DECIDED TO CHALLENGE THAT.
>> Nam: WAS THAT AN EASY THING TO DO BECAUSE YOU HAD BEEN THE PRESIDENT OF THE PC ASSOCIATION
IN THAT RIDING.
WAS THAT AN EASY DECISION FOR YOU TO NOT RUN WITH THE PARTY BUT GO OFF ON YOUR OWN?
>> Bobbi Ann: IT WASN'T AN EASY DECISION AT ALL.
IT HAD TO BE DONE QUICKLY, BUT IT WASN'T AN EASY ONE BECAUSE I HAD BEEN THE PRESIDENT FOR OVER
20 YEARS AND I HAVE GREAT FRIENDS WITHIN THE PC PARTY SO THIS IS NOT ABOUT, YOU KNOW, ME
BEING UPSET WITH THE PC PARTY IN ANY STRETCH OF THE IMAGINATION, IT'S THE FACT THAT THE PREMIER
DID SOMETHING THAT THE FOLKS IN HALDIMAND-NORFOLK COULDN'T SUPPORT.
AND PEOPLE CAME TO ME AND SAID, HOW DO WE CHALLENGE THIS?
AND WE TRIED TO CHALLENGE IT IN WAYS BY ASKING FOR THE NOMINATION AND THE PREMIER'S
MIND WAS ALREADY MADE UP.
I SAID THERE'S ONLY ONE WAY TO CHALLENGE IT, AND SO THAT'S WHEN I DECIDED THAT I WAS GOING TO
RUN AS AN INDEPENDENT BECAUSE THAT WAS THE ONLY WAY LEFT FOR ME TO CHALLENGE IT.
>> Nam: IS IT TRUE THAT YOU WERE SO UNDERRESOURCED, YOU DIDN'T HAVE CAMPAIGN LITERATURE
OR SIGNS UNTIL HALFWAY THROUGH THE ELECTION?
>> Bobbi Ann: SO AS AN INDEPENDENT, YOU CAN'T BEGIN RAISING MONEY UNDER ANY PARTY
BANNER PRIOR TO THE ELECTION.
SO A CANDIDATE CAN'T RAISE MONEY UNTIL THE ELECTION CALL IS MADE.
BUT WHEN YOU RUN UNDER A BANNER, YOU CAN COLLECT MONEY AHEAD OF THE ELECTION UNDER THE PARTY
NAME.
AS AN INDEPENDENT, YOU HAVE NO PARTY, SO YOU CAN'T START COLLECTING MONEY UNTIL DAY ONE.
AND THAT'S THE POSITION WE WERE IN.
YOU CAN'T ORDER ITEMS UNTIL YOU HAVE MONEY, BUT YOU CAN'T DO ANY TRANSACTION.
SO WE SAT AND WAITED A FEW DAYS AND THEN WHEN THE WRIT WAS DROPPED, WE HIT THE GROUND
RUNNING AND WE WAITED TWO, I THINK, WEEKS FOR LITERATURE AND TWO AND A HALF WEEKS FOR SIGNS,
AND ONCE WE GOT THOSE THINGS, WE JUST -- IT WAS LIKE THE SIGN FAIRIES APPEARED ONE NIGHT AND,
BAM, ALL THOSE SIGNS WENT UP OVERNIGHT AND THE MONEY WAS ROLLING IN.
ONCE WE GOT THE LITERATURE, WE WERE HITTING DOORS IN EVERY COMMUNITY SIMULTANEOUSLY, AND WE
WON THIS CAMPAIGN THE OLD-FASHIONED WAY, BY BANGING ON DOORS.
>> Nam: WERE YOU NERVOUS?
I MEAN, IT JUST KIND OF SEEMS, EVERYBODY ELSE HAD MORE TIME THAN YOU, AND THEN YOU'RE DOING
IT -- YOU'RE TRYING TO PLAY CATCH-UP.
>> Bobbi Ann: I WASN'T NERVOUS.
I WAS EXTREMELY DETERMINED.
PEOPLE SAID TO ME ARE YOU DOING THIS JUST TO PROVE A POINT OR DO YOU ACTUALLY THINK YOU'RE GOING
TO WIN?
AND I SAID I'M GOING TO WIN.
THE PEOPLE OF HALDIMAND-NORFOLK ARE NOT HAPPY WITH WHAT OCCURRED.
THERE ARE SOME BIG ISSUES AT PLAY HERE.
I SAID I'M NOT IN THIS JUST TO, YOU KNOW, PUT IN MY TIME.
WE'RE GOING TO WIN THIS.
AND I WASN'T REALLY NERVOUS.
I THINK I WAS JUST SO FOCUSED ON DOING ALL THE RIGHT THINGS AND RUNNING THE PROPER CAMPAIGN, AND
I JUST WENT OUT EVERY DAY AND THE TIME WENT SO FAST, BUT I DON'T RECALL BEING NERVOUS.
I WAS JUST EXTREMELY DETERMINED THAT WE WERE GOING TO MAKE THINGS RIGHT.
>> Nam: I HAVE A PICTURE FROM ELECTION NIGHT.
YOU'RE HOLDING A BANANA.
WHY ARE YOU HOLDING A BANANA IN THE AIR?
>> Bobbi Ann: IT'S FUNNY, I SEE THAT PICTURE AND IT MATCHES MY SKIRT.
SO THE BANANA WAS GIVEN TO ME ON ELECTION NIGHT BECAUSE THE QUOTE WE USED THROUGHOUT THE CAMPAIGN,
AND IT CAME FROM COMMENTS FROM SOMEBODY WITHIN THE PARTY, AND IT WASN'T SAID IN A WAY THAT WAS
MALICIOUS, BUT THEY JUST SAID, YOU KNOW, BOBBI ANN, YOU SHOULD PROBABLY JUST RUN AWAY BECAUSE
WE COULD RUN A MONKEY IN HALDIMAND-NORFOLK, AS LONG AS IT HAS THE PC ON ITS BACK, AND WE
WILL WIN.
SO THAT'S WHERE THE BANANA COMES FROM, THE MONKEY.
>> Nam: HOW DID YOU TAKE THAT RESPONSE?
>> Bobbi Ann: I FELT THAT DISRESPECT.
I FELT THE PEOPLE IN HALDIMAND-NORFOLK WERE DISRESPECTED IN THAT COMMENT
BECAUSE IT'S TAKING THEM FOR GRANTED.
IT'S SAYING, HEY, WE KNOW THAT THE FOLKS IN HALDIMAND-NORFOLK ARE GOING TO BE TO THE BALLOT
BOX AND JUST CHECK OFF THE PC CANDIDATE.
AND I WAS OFFENDED BY THAT AS A CONSERVATIVE, AS THE RIDING ASSOCIATION PRESIDENT, I SAID
I'M OFFENDED BY THIS.
AND WHEN PEOPLE IN THE RIDING HEAR THIS, THEY WILL BE OFFENDED AS WELL.
AND THEY WERE.
THEY FELT IT WAS A HUGE DISRESPECT OF TOBY AND OF MY WORK AS WELL.
BETWEEN TOBY AND I, WE HAVE 50 YEARS OF SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY AND TO THE PARTY, AND
THE COMMUNITY DEFINITELY RESPECTS THE WORK OF TOBY AND I AND THEY WERE VERY, VERY UPSET
BY THE LACK OF RESPECT FROM THE PARTY OR FROM THE PREMIER.
>> Nam: WHAT DOES YOUR WIN -- WHAT'S THE MESSAGE THAT IT SENDS TO PREMIER DOUG FORD?
>> Bobbi Ann: I HOPE IT'S SENDING THE MESSAGE THAT YOU CAN'T RELY ON, YOU KNOW, YOU
CAN'T THINK THAT THERE'S A SAFE SEAT ANYWHERE.
IN POLITICS, WE TALK ABOUT SAFE SEATS AND WE TALK ABOUT THOSE SEATS THAT ARE TRADITIONALLY
CONSERVATIVE NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS.
AND I HOPE THE MESSAGE IS THAT YOU CAN'T JUST TAKE PEOPLE FOR GRANTED.
YOU CAN'T EXPECT THEM TO DO WHAT YOU WANT THEM TO DO ALL THE TIME.
AT SOME POINT THEY REALIZE THAT THEY'RE BEING PERHAPS USED AND I HOPE THAT THAT'S THE MESSAGE
THAT IS SENT TO THE PREMIER AND I HOPE HE WORKS TO CLEAN THAT UP.
IN FACT, I WOULD LOVE TO HELP, YOU KNOW, CLEAN UP THAT CULTURE OF DISRESPECT THAT I'VE SEEN FOR
THE PAST WHILE.
>> Nam: WE KNOW THAT THIS ELECTION HAD A REALLY LOW VOTER TURNOUT.
WE TALKED ABOUT THE MESSAGE THAT IT SENT TO THE PREMIER AND MAYBE OTHER POLITICIANS.
BUT WHAT MESSAGE DO YOU THINK YOUR WIN SENDS TO VOTERS WHO MIGHT BE APATHETIC TOWARDS
ELECTIONS AND TOWARDS VOTING, THINKING THAT MAYBE IT DOESN'T CHANGE, DO ANYTHING?
>> Bobbi Ann: THAT'S A REALLY GOOD QUESTION.
AND PEOPLE HAVE RESPONDED TO ME.
THEY HAVE REACHED OUT THROUGH PRIVATE MESSENGER, TEXT, PEOPLE I DON'T EVEN KNOW, AND RIGHT
ACROSS ONTARIO AND ELSEWHERE IN CANADA AS WELL, AND THEY SAID FROM THEM, LISTEN, I HAD LOST
HOPE WITH GOVERNANCE, I HAD GROWN CYNICAL OF LEADERS.
BUT YOUR CAMPAIGN SERVES AS HOPE FOR US BECAUSE WE ALL TAKE THAT ATTITUDE OF, OH, YOU KNOW, WHY
BOTHER?
NOTHING'S GOING TO CHANGE.
HERE'S A PRIME EXAMPLE WHERE, IF YOU BOTHER, YOU CAN EFFECT CHANGE.
SO PEOPLE HAVE SAID: I HAD LOST ALL HOPE UNTIL I SAW THAT AN INDEPENDENT HAD WON IN
HALDIMAND-NORFOLK.
AND I TRULY BELIEVE THAT COURAGE CAN BE CONTAGIOUS.
I USE THAT LINE ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL ALL THE TIME.
LOOK, IF WE GO AND WE DO THE COURAGEOUS THING, WE CAN EFFECT CHANGE THAT IS SO BADLY NEEDED.
AND I REALLY DO HOPE THAT MORE PEOPLE GET INVOLVED IN POLITICS AND REALIZE THAT IF THEY JUST
PUT A LITTLE BIT OF WORK IN AND THEY FIGHT BACK, THEY CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE, AND
HALDIMAND-NORFOLK HAS SET THE EXAMPLE AND I'M SO, SO PROUD OF THE PEOPLE HERE.
>> Nam: WHAT'S ONE BIG MESSAGE YOU WANT TO ADDRESS WHILE AT QUEEN'S PARK?
>> Bobbi Ann: I WANT TO HELP FIX THE RURAL-URBAN DIVIDE.
YOU KNOW, WE SEE A DIVIDE BETWEEN THE LEFT AND THE RIGHT.
WE TALK ABOUT THAT POLITICALLY.
BUT THERE'S ALSO A DIVIDE BETWEEN THE URBAN AND RURAL PEOPLE OF OUR PROVINCE, AND
THERE DOESN'T NEED TO BE.
I WAS SITTING ON A ZOOM CALL THE OTHER DAY AND I SAID, YOU KNOW, IT'S LARGELY MEDIA AND
GOVERNMENT WHO ARE BEING BLAMED, AND I DON'T KNOW IF THAT BLAME IS BEING PUT IN THE RIGHT PLACE.
BUT THE MEDIA AND THE GOVERNMENT FOR THE PAST FEW YEARS HAVE BEEN THE ONES IN FRONT OF THE -- YOU
KNOW, IN FRONT OF THE PEOPLE EVERY SINGLE DAY.
AND THE FOLKS IN MY AREA, A RURAL AREA, ARE VERY, VERY HESITANT ABOUT ALLOWING PEOPLE
FROM URBAN AREAS TO COME IN, DEVELOP THEIR LAND.
THEY SEE DEVELOPMENT HAPPENING ON AGRICULTURAL LAND, PRODUCTIVE AGRICULTURAL LAND, AND THEY
DON'T LIKE IT.
THEY BELIEVE THAT, YOU KNOW, THE CITY IS TRYING TO CHANGE THEIR WAY OF LIFE.
AND THEN YOU HAVE THE URBAN FOLKS WHO MAYBE MOVE INTO AN AREA AND BELIEVE THAT THE RURAL
PEOPLE DON'T LIKE THEM.
AND WE HAVE TO FIX THAT DIVIDE.
IT'S NOT HEALTHY FOR ANY OF US.
I TALK ABOUT GUN OWNERSHIP, AND I KNOW THAT'S NOT POPULAR IN URBAN AREAS.
BUT THERE IS THIS CULTURE AND TRADITION IN RURAL ONTARIO AND IN RURAL CANADA WHERE, YOU KNOW,
WE FILL THE FREEZERS BY HUNTING.
AND YET HUNTERS AND FARMERS ARE NOW BEING TARGETED AND TOLD THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE BAD
PEOPLE BECAUSE THEY OWN A GUN.
THAT'S SIMPLY NOT TRUE.
WE'VE GOT A GUN ISSUE IN THIS PROVINCE, BUT IT'S NOT BECAUSE OF OUR HUNTERS AND IT'S NOT
BECAUSE OF OUR FARMERS.
SO HONESTY HAS TO COME TO THE TABLE.
AND I WANT TO BRIDGE THAT GAP AS WELL.
THERE'S URBAN MPPs WHO PERHAPS HAVE FOOD PROCESSING PLANTS IN THEIR RIDING BUT THEY DON'T KNOW
THAT MAYBE SOUR CHERRIES FROM NORFOLK COUNTY ARE MAKING IT TO THEIR FOOD PROCESSING PLANT
NORTH OF TORONTO OR IN TORONTO.
THERE'S A CONNECTION THERE AND WE HAVE TO MAKE THAT CONNECTION.
WE'RE NOT ALL THAT DIFFERENT.
WE'RE JUST BEING TOLD WE'RE DIFFERENT AND IT'S DRIVING THAT WEDGE.
JUST LIKE I WOULD LIKE TO BRING PEOPLE FROM THE LEFT AND RIGHT CLOSER TOGETHER.
WE HAVE TO BRING PEOPLE FROM RURAL ONTARIO AND URBAN ONTARIO CLOSER TOGETHER AS WELL.
THE OTHER BIG ISSUE THAT I WANT TO WORK ON WHEN I GET TO QUEEN'S PARK IS THERE'S A MINISTERIAL
ZONING ORDER THAT HAS BEEN ASKED OF FOR A LARGE DEVELOPMENT IN OUR RIDING IN HALDIMAND COUNTY,
AND I WANT TO FIGHT THAT BECAUSE THERE'S A PLAN TO BUILD A CITY OF 40,000 AT THE NANTICOKE
INDUSTRIAL PARK, AND NOBODY SHOULD BE LIVING IN AN INDUSTRIAL PARK.
SO THOSE ARE TWO OF MY BIG TOP ITEMS THAT I WANT TO ADDRESS RIGHT OFF THE GET-GO.
>> Nam: YOU'VE OFFICIALLY LEFT THE PROGRESSIVE CONSERVATIVE PARTY, BUT YOU'VE BEEN A PART OF
IT FOR DECADES.
IS IT FAIR TO CALL YOU A CONSERVATIVE-MINDED POLITICIAN WHO WILL BRING FORWARD
CONSERVATIVE ISSUES AT QUEEN'S PARK?
>> Bobbi Ann: IT'S FAIR TO SAY THAT I AM A CONSERVATIVE AND I'LL ALWAYS BE A CONSERVATIVE.
BUT I DO BELIEVE THAT THERE IS NO MONOPOLY ON A GOOD IDEA.
I HAVE SEEN IDEAS AND PRIVATE MEMBER'S BILLS BROUGHT FORWARD FROM ALL STRIPES, AND YET
SOMETIMES BECAUSE OF POLITICAL PARTY LINES, THOSE IDEAS ARE TRASHED, THEY'RE SIDELINED, AND
WE HAVE TO DO AWAY WITH THAT.
IF THERE'S A GOOD IDEA, IT DOESN'T MATTER WHO BRINGS IT FORWARD.
IF IT'S GOOD FOR THE PEOPLE OF ONTARIO, ADOPT IT, YOU KNOW, EMBRACE IT.
AND WE HAVE TO PUSH FOR THAT.
THERE'S ANOTHER PART OF THE PARTY CULTURE THAT I REALLY WANT TO HELP CHANGE BECAUSE RIGHT NOW
WHAT'S HAPPENING IS YOU'RE SIDE LINING GOOD IDEAS JUST BECAUSE THEY COME FROM SOMEBODY ELSE.
THAT'S NOT GOOD FOR YOU AND I.
>> Nam: MIKE SCHREINER HAS BEEN ON THIS PROGRAM BEFORE AND HE'S SPOKEN ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE
OF HIM JUST BEING THERE, EVEN IF IT'S JUST ONE SEAT.
WHAT DO YOU SAY TO THOSE WHO ARE SKEPTICAL OF YOUR SINGLE VOICE IN A SEA OF 123 OTHER MPPs WHO
ARE ALL BACKED BY POLITICAL PARTIES, THAT YOU CAN MAKE ANY DIFFERENCE AT ALL?
>> Bobbi Ann: I SAY WATCH.
WAIT AND WATCH.
BECAUSE I'M NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO BE TOLD TO SIT DOWN.
SOMEBODY IS NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO SAY TO ME, "YOU CAN'T SPEAK ABOUT THAT."
WHAT'S IMPORTANT TO THE PEOPLE OF HALDIMAND-NORFOLK WILL MAKE IT TO THE FLOOR OF THE ONTARIO
LEGISLATURE REGARDLESS OF WHO IN THE ONTARIO LEGISLATURE WANTS ME TO SPEAK ABOUT IT.
SO I THINK WE CAN BRING FORWARD SOME REALLY GOOD IDEAS, I THINK WE CAN TALK ABOUT THINGS THAT
WOULD PROBABLY NEVER BE TALKED ABOUT OTHERWISE WITHIN THE CHAMBER.
SO I SAY TO THOSE NAYSAYERS, I SAY, JUST WAIT, GIVE ME A CHANCE.
AND I HAVE FRIENDS ON ALL SIDES OF THE HOUSE.
I HAVE COLLEAGUES THAT I HAVE WORKED WITH FOR 23 YEARS WHO HAVE SAID TO ME, "WAY TO GO,
BOBBI ANN. WE'RE GLAD YOU'RE HERE AND WE'RE GOING TO WORK WITH YOU."
I'M NOT GOING TO GO TO QUEEN'S PARK AND WORK AGAINST PREMIER FORD EVERY SINGLE DAY.
NO.
IF PREMIER FORD IS DOING GOOD THINGS, I WILL SUPPORT THOSE GOOD THINGS.
BUT I'LL ALSO SUPPORT GOOD THINGS BEING DONE BY OTHER PEOPLE IN THE LEGISLATURE AS
WELL.
SO IT'S AFTERNOON OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO BRING A DIFFERENT CULTURE TO POLITICS, AND I THINK
WE CAN DO THAT.
>> Nam: SO YOU HAVE A REALLY FASCINATING SPORTING HISTORY.
IS IT TRUE THAT YOU'RE A NATIONAL GOLD MEDAL-WINNING KICKBOXING CHAMPION?
>> Bobbi Ann: YES, IT IS TRUE.
IT'S NOT AS GREAT AS IT SOUNDS, I DON'T THINK.
BUT I COMPETED NATIONALLY A FEW TIMES AND I DID WIN A GOLD MEDAL AT THE NATIONAL LEVEL AND I DID
FIGHT IN FLORIDA FOR THE WORLD KICK-BOXING CHAMPIONSHIP BACK IN 2015, AND THAT WAS A REAL
EYE-OPENER.
BUT I STARTED MARTIAL ARTS AT A LATE POINT IN MY LIFE.
IF THERE'S ANY YOUNG PEOPLE OUT THERE LISTENING, IF YOU WANT TO GET INVOLVED IN A SPORT THAT'S
REALLY GOOD FOR YOUR MIND AND YOUR BODY, GET INTO MARTIAL ARTS.
IT'S HELPED ME IN MY POLITICAL CAREER.
IT'S HELPED ME BE A BETTER LISTENER, A MORE CALM PERSON, LESS REACTIVE.
THOSE ARE ALL THINGS THAT YOU WOULD PROBABLY THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, KICK-BOXING AND KARATE
WOULD MAYBE MAKE YOU MORE REACTIVE, BUT IN YOUR MIND, IT HELPS CALM YOUR MIND AND GIVES
YOU A GREATER PEACE.
UNLESS YOU'RE A MARTIAL ARTIST, YOU PROBABLY WOULDN'T REALLY UNDERSTAND THAT SO ...
>> Nam: ONE MORE THING BECAUSE STEVE PAIKIN YESTERDAY SAID TO ME THAT WHEN I DO SPEAK TO YOU
THAT HE WANTS ME TO ASK YOU SOMETHING.
IS IT TRUE THAT YOUR E.A. NOW IS GOING TO BE FORMER PC MPP TOBY BARRETT?
>> Bobbi Ann: SO THAT IS ACTUALLY GOING AROUND IN THE MEDIA, BUT, NO, TOBY SAID -- HE
NEEDS TO GO OFF AND ENJOY HIS RETIREMENT.
I DON'T THINK HE'S GOING VERY FAR, BUT I DON'T THINK HE'S GOING TO BE MY EXECUTIVE
ASSISTANT.
I THINK I'LL BE THE INSTITUTIONAL KNOWLEDGE AND THE KIND OF HOLDING MY HAND AS I
MOVE THROUGH THIS AND HE'S GOING TO HELP ME ALONG, BUT I'M GOING TO ENSURE THAT TOBY ENJOYS HIS
RETIREMENT TOO.
>> Nam: IT'S GREAT, YOUR RELATIONSHIP, HOW HE'S MENTORED YOU AND HOW YOU'VE WORKED
TOGETHER.
IT'S NICE TO SEE.
>> Bobbi Ann: HE'S A FANTASTIC MENTOR AND I COULDN'T HAVE ASKED FOR A BETTER BOSS FOR THE PAST
23 YEARS.
I'VE LEARNED SO MUCH AND I REALLY DO FEEL BLESSED WORKING FOR TOBY BARRETT.
>> Nam: THANK YOU SO MUCH, BOBBI ANN.
IT'S BEEN A PLEASURE TO SPEAK TO YOU AND WE'RE GOING TO BE WATCHING HOW YOU SHAKE THINGS
UP.
THANKS SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
>> Bobbi Ann: THANK YOU.