MP Alex Ruff says looking back at 2021, what stands out for him is the show of community strength and spirit in Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound.
“Seeing the community, despite the challenges and issues and some of the divisiveness really for the most part, pull together and help out each other and support for local charities and those people most in need across the community is impressive,” says Ruff.
He’s asking the people in the community to continue to do what they can to help out locally, saying, “Whether that’s charities, small businesses, people in need. Do what you can, if you’re able to help those that are more in need than you are.”
Ruff says having the chance to connect with some community pillars was a highlight for him in 2021, explaining, “Getting the opportunity even this past year to interact briefly with some of those longstanding community members that celebrated some pretty impressive milestones, like Elwood Moore, like Charles Fisher and unfortunately seeing him pass…Just getting to interact with some of those key people throughout the community, is going to stand out to me.” (Moore celebrated his 100th birthday in 2021 and Fisher celebrated his 107th).
Ruff was re-elected with 49.2 per cent of the local vote as a Conservative MP in the September 20th snap federal election. There was just over a month of campaigning in a shortened race that saw the election of another minority Liberal government.
He served as Deputy Conservative Party Whip until the election. In this latest parliament, he currently sits on the The Standing Committee on Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities (HUMA).
So far, that committee has looked at Bill C-3, An Act to amend the Criminal Code and the Canada Labour Code. That bill received royal assent on December 17th and will make it a criminal offence to harass healthcare workers or those seeking healthcare services. It also gives federally regulated workers up to ten sick days a year.
2021 saw the fall of the Afghan government to the Taliban and Ruff, who is a veteran with over 25 years of service in the Canadian Armed Forces with two operational deployments in Afghanistan (2007 and 2012) had been calling on the federal Liberal government since July to take swift action to support former Afghan interpreters, cultural advisors, and personnel employed in that country by the Canadian government.
Later in the year, he spoke in the House of Commons in support of the newly created special parliamentary committee on Afghanistan to review Canada’s evacuation efforts and events related to the fall of Afghanistan to the Taliban.
Another big issue that came to the nation’s attention in 2021 was sexual misconduct in the military. Back in March, Ruff spoke out against sexual misconduct in the military in an op-ed that circulated nationally first in the Toronto Sun and then in local media. Several months on, he says addressing the issue is an ongoing effort. “It’s being dealt with, it needs to be dealt with, it’s not going to get fixed overnight. It requires leadership at every level,” says Ruff.
On March 24th, the House of Commons voted unanimously to designate August 1st Emancipation Day in Canada. This year marked the first nationally recognized Emancipation Day, something Ruff advocated for in Parliament in a late 2020 speech which highlighted Owen Sound’s history as a northern terminus of the Underground Railroad.
“That’s something that I think speaks to the rich heritage and history in our area that predates Confederation and speaks to just how Canada, and in particular our area were instrumental in supporting those slaves seeking freedom,” says Ruff.
Looking ahead to 2022, Ruff says he’ll, ‘”Continue to push the government to take the appropriate actions and bring forth the appropriate legislation to address the key issues and factors to get the economy back, get inflation under control and address those key issues that I’ve flagged during the election and since, that help — definitely constituents in Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound, but across Canada– things like the labour shortage, how are we going to address that, affordable housing and inflation and getting the economy going again.”
Ruff says other priorities for him are supports for Canadians and seniors and advocating for veterans, adding, “I’m looking forward to doing what I can to support small businesses and our farmers and all Canadians.”
He says although he is not an official member or a voting member of the Special Committee on Afghanistan, he will stay as actively involved as he can, adding,”That’s a key thing too, is figuring out a way to get the government to fast track and take the appropriate action to support those Afghans that helped Canada get to safety and do what we can to support them.”
Ruff says he hopes to see some bills re-tabled when parliament returns including Conservative Philip Lawrence’s bill to exempt qualifying farmers from paying the Liberal Carbon Tax on gasoline, diesel fuel, propane and natural gas saying, “That was something we successfully got through the house, unfortunately it didn’t get through the senate before the Prime minister called the election and dissolved everything, so I think that’s a key issue.”
He adds, “I remain optimistic that in 2022 we’ll see the end of the pandemic. it doesn’t mean that COVID won’t still be around in some form,” but Ruff says he’s confident there will be a way to live with it going forward without it having such a huge impact, saying, “I’m optimistic that 2022 will see the end of it.”
