Saturday, June 13, 2026

Opinion: Randy Hillier

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I am a voter in MPP Randy Hillier’s riding and I can honestly say that he no longer represents me, nor the hundreds of others waiting in a confusing line for a Covid-19 vaccine, nor those who have been laid low or have lost family members to the virus

MPP Hillier, I can’t complain to you about my concerns over the province’s slow rate of vaccination, never mind anything else having to do with the pandemic.

What happened to you? Many years ago I came to you for a property issue. You helped. You served me well.  You did what MPPS should be doing: serving their constituents. Who are you serving now with your shenanigans? Why are you alienating those in your riding?

I called you following the Kemptville restaurant anti-lockdown rally, after hearing a rumor that you’d caught Covid. You said “no,” you hadn’t contracted the virus. I asked whether you were wearing a mask. Again, no.

Then I asked why. That surprised me. “I have an exemption.” You wouldn’t say what the exemption was “for privacy reasons.”

Sorry Randy I don’t believe you. Several months ago I observed you walking into the Rideau Ferry Store, not wearing a mask. I asked why. You replied “I don’t believe in them” and then continued to walk into the store.

You can’t have it both ways Randy. Either you don’t believe in them or you have an exemption.

Now you’ve been charged by two municipalities, Kemptville and Peterborough, with contravening the province’s health lock-down  regulations and stay-at-home order, At Kemptville’s gathering you dragged your three children into your lair. Shame on you.

A third municipality, Belleville, is also considering charges after a rally there. As police chief Mike Callaghan says, “We cannot allow people to jeopardize others. It’s incredibly unfortunate that this happened.”

The chief’s words are tame to what others have said. I heard some who have called your self-aggrandizing antics clownish.

If you think of fighting all these charges using our Charter of Rights and Freedoms, consider the April ruling of the Federal Court, which refused to throw out the quarantine rules for international travellers returning home – three days required hotel stay in a government approved hotel.

Can you afford a Supreme Court challenge? 

As an independent MPP, kicked out of the Conservative caucus in 2019, I can’t believe you hope to be re-elected. You probably don’t.

Opinion piece by John Kessel

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