Ray’s Top 10 Takeaways from Simcoe North – 2025 Federal Election

After talking to around 1,600 people across Simcoe North (yes, I counted), I’ve come away with a few things worth sharing. These aren’t poll-tested or focus-group-approved — they’re just real conversations, mostly over coffee, sidewalks, and the occasional driveway chat. Here are my Top 10 Takeaways from the 2025 election, Simcoe North edition. For the record, the top four could easily swap places depending on who I was talking to and whether they’d had lunch yet.

1. Affordability (AKA: “How is anyone affording anything anymore?”)

This came up constantly. National stats back it up: 30% of Canadians earn $40K or less annually. In Simcoe North, 30% of residents will use the local food bank at some point. That’s not just a statistic — that’s a crisis.

The Green Party and I propose eliminating income tax for anyone earning $40K or less. We’d fund it with a 1% increase in corporate tax. Fair? I think so.

2. Healthcare (Bring back the “care” part, please.)

From out-of-pocket costs to long wait times, people are fed up. Whether it’s arthritis or access to MAID, the system feels strained and outdated.

I’ve written a lot about ways to modernize healthcare — including centralizing specialized care, boosting R&D, and using tech to free up doctors’ time. The Greens and I are very much aligned here.

3. Housing (Not just a roof issue, but a full-blown rainstorm.)

Housing is more than bricks and mortar now — it’s a battleground. I’ve written about how we could regulate Airbnbs, ban corporations from snapping up family homes, and sync immigration with provincial housing strategies. Maclean’s had a list of 25 ideas, but honestly, we can start with three and still make real progress.

4. Tariffs (A sleeper issue, but a deep one.)

Surprisingly, tariffs weren’t top of mind for most people — but among what I call “Deep Greens,” this was the issue. Many told me this was why they were backing Mark Carney.

I’ve written extensively on this too, and it seems like Canadians (finally!) might be warming up to some of these ideas.

5. Our Tax System is a Dinosaur

Everyone agrees it’s broken. But oddly, it’s not on the national radar. Maybe it's so confusing and frustrating that people have just given up? Still, the Greens and I have a plan to drag it out of the Jurassic era.

6. Modernizing Elections (Yes, that old chestnut)

Every person I spoke with said, “Yes, this makes sense.” Then most followed up with a sad shrug and, “But Trudeau promised that and... yeah.” The betrayal stings. But the idea is still right — electoral reform could spark more engagement and lead to longer-lasting, more thoughtful policy.

7. Climate Change (The quiet agreement)

Most folks I met now believe the science. But I could feel some hesitancy to bring it up — maybe they were afraid I’d launch into a TED Talk on the spot. (Guilty.)

I believe corporations are offloading their environmental costs onto taxpayers. I say: let’s price products cradle-to-grave and reward companies that innovate to reduce harm. The Greens have loads of solid policy here, so I’ll stop before I do turn this into a TED Talk.

8. The Local MP – Does It Matter?

This one surprised me. I couldn’t tell how much voters valued a candidate’s local presence or qualifications. The longer the conversation, the more meaningful it got — but it was hard to reach people. Facebook’s algorithms worked against us, debates didn’t happen if every party wasn’t present, and community groups often stayed neutral. I basically had to track people down at Timmies or in parking lots — and many were shocked that a candidate actually wanted to talk to them, not at them.

9. Politics as Personal Identity (It’s getting heated out there.)

A decent chunk of folks I met seem to have adopted politics as part of their core identity. For some, it’s a moral battlefield — and progressives are just “those people” trying to ruin everything, one gas price hike at a time.

Electoral reform (#6) could help bridge this divide — but probably only with half of this group. Honestly, I don’t have all the answers. I suspect economic stress is feeding the rage. But the black-and-white, us-vs-them thinking isn’t exclusive to one demographic.

10. Community (The heart of it all.)

This is the part that made every 14-hour day worth it. Simcoe North is full of kind, thoughtful, generous people. Whether they agreed with me or not, most were warm and welcoming. I had conversations I’ll never forget and met people who reminded me why community matters — not just during elections, but every day.

So... What Now?

I’m taking these conversations with me — every insight, every concern, every bit of encouragement or critique. Thank you, Simcoe North. It’s been an honour to walk your streets, knock on your doors, and hear your stories.

With sincere gratitude,

Ray