To say Ontario is in a state of crisis would be an understatement. Every single thing within provincial jurisdiction has fallen apart.

A whole generation of people are beginning to give up on the dream of home ownership entirely as affordability becomes further out of reach.

In health care, it's not just long wait times for surgeries that we've faced for years - it's the fundamentals now. People can't get in to see a doctor.

People are dying from homelessness, opioid addiction, and while waiting for access to a long-term care bed.

We are feeling more effects of climate change. Carleton has been ravaged by heat waves, derechos, and tornadoes, leaving many without power.

Schools are overcrowded. University and college tuition is skyrocketing. The promised $10-a-day daycare program never got off the ground.

Ottawa's light rail system is a disaster and our roads are crumbling. The 401 is one of the worst traffic nightmares in the world.

And in the face of all of this, we have a government choosing to prioritize access to beer. As if that's the most important issue Ontarians face today.

I've been involved in advocacy and policy work for a few years now, trying to make a difference, and I've been feeling lately like it isn't enough. I can't sit by and watch my future, and my son's future, wither away and die.

Meeting with so many people in Carleton over the last few months gives me hope. I know we can do it. I have seen that many people in Carleton feel this same calling to step up, and help rebuild this province from this state of collapse we find it in. Our collective passion, drive, intelligence, resolve, will make the difference. In the face of catastrophe, of a government that has turned its back on us, of tornadoes and derechos, we will weather the storm.

We can build a strong, resilient, prosperous Ontario, and ensure that we all have a bright future.

Brandon Bay is a software developer, dedicated community volunteer, and political advocate. He has happily called Ottawa home since 2006, and currently lives with his wife and son in Riverside South.

Growing up, Brandon was the oldest of three boys. They spent their childhood on the shores of Paudash Lake, near the cottage country town of Bancroft, and gained an appreciation for rural living and spending time outdoors. Brandon spends many summer days paddling his canoe around Ottawa's waterways, and portaging the city's streets and trails between them. He also enjoys cycling, skiing, hiking greenbelt trails with his dog, Timber, and he regularly skates on the canal in the winter (when it opens).

Brandon has had a passion for civic engagement his whole life. When he was young, he organized a trash pickup drive along Ontario Highway 28, which runs through the centre of Paudash. This was the start of a lifelong passion for helping others. In high school, he worked as a camp counsellor, coached youth sports teams, served on student council, volunteered as a recreation coordinator at a local retirement community, and raised money for countless local causes.

That passion did not diminish with time - Brandon has been part of Ottawa community associations, joined student governments and clubs at the University of Ottawa, volunteered at festivals, donated to and run campaigns for CHEO, and even founded a charity to channel his philanthropic energy. In 2022, he ran for mayor to keep a spotlight on the issues facing younger generations. Most recently, he served as President and Chair of local advocacy organization Make Housing Affordable, and as the Volunteer Director for the Riverside South Community Association. Within the Ontario Liberal Party, Brandon serves as the Policy Director for the Carleton Provincial Liberal Association, and as the Chair of the Eastern Regional Policy Committee.

Professionally, Brandon is a software developer at Fullscript, an Ottawa-based company helping healthcare providers deliver a person-centred approach to medicine. Before Fullscript, Brandon spent five years at Welbi, a member of the Invest Ottawa accelerator program crafting tools for senior living and long-term care communities. The social enterprise style blend of civic duty and professional gain has fed into Brandon's passion for doing good in the community, and been incredibly rewarding and well-suited for him.

In his only time away from Ottawa since moving here, Brandon worked in Massachusetts for four years, from 2014-2018. While living there, he met his wife, Rachel. They visited Ottawa often, and eventually married and returned for good. Rachel became a Canadian citizen in 2023. She works from home as a graphic designer for a large software company, and now she too very happily calls Ottawa home. They welcomed their first child, Simon, to the world in September 2024.