This is a profile submitted by the candidate.
Prior to his election to be a Member of Parliament, Bruce worked in his family's tourism business. He was among the fifth generation of his family to own and operate a tourism business on Sparrow Lake since the family first developed a livelihood here in 1884.
Throughout his career, Bruce was actively involved in promoting and advocating for the tourism industry and business development in Simcoe North. He served on the board of several tourism organizations including the Tourism Industry Association of Canada (TIAC), Resorts Ontario, and Tourism Ontario.
Bruce was first elected to the House of Commons in January 2006, re-elected in October 2008, May 2011 and again in October 2015.
In December 2019, Bruce was appointed as Canada's 49th Deputy Speaker for the House of Commons. Previously, he served as Assistant Deputy Chair of Committees of the Whole, Chair of the Standing Committee for Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development beginning the fall of 2008 to March 2011, and served prior to that on Committees for the Status of Women; Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics; and Industry, Science and Technology.
During his time as MP, Simcoe North has seen critical achievements to the community’s infrastructure through the support of federal investment:
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The new campus of Lakehead University in Orillia;
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The vast restoration of the Trent-Severn waterway topping $600 million since 2008;
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The expansion and improvement of Lake Simcoe Regional airport;
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The finalizing of a new ferry for Beausoleil First Nation at Christian Island;
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Numerous projects involving roads, bridges, water and waste-water systems from Penetanguishene to Victoria Harbour to Brechin;
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Southern Georgian Bay got a regional economic development agency (the only area of Canada that did not have one);
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The ten-year, $59 million Clean-up Lake Simcoe program was launched in 2007 and will be reinstated under a Conservative government.
Bruce and Heather live near Coldwater.
