Dear editor:
As outgoing Welland Mayor Frank Campion steps into the role of Niagara Region chair, residents across our region are watching closely — not with celebration, but with deep concern about how we got here.
Because this appointment came directly from Premier Doug Ford’s government rather than the ballot box, the people of Niagara were denied any say in who leads us. To many residents across our 12 municipalities, an appointment from Queen’s Park carries an unspoken expectation: that chair Campion was chosen to carry out the province’s wishes rather than defend the people who actually live here.
Niagara-on-the-Lake, like every distinct town and city across this region, is not interchangeable with its neighbours. From our agricultural land and heritage to our local infrastructure and small-town character, each Niagara community has its own identity and priorities that deserve to be fiercely protected — not steamrolled by top-down provincial agendas.
At the end of the day, Premier Ford’s name will not be attached to the decisions made at the regional table over the next term — Frank Campion’s will. His reputation and his legacy in Niagara are now squarely on the line.
We urge chair Campion to prove the skeptics wrong and show he is his own leader. Listen to the residents of Niagara, respect the distinct voices of all 12 municipalities and stand up for the people you serve — even when that means saying no to Queen’s Park.
Do not forget who truly counts. Do right by the people of Niagara.
Judith Barnes
NOTL
NOTL
