Michael Holbrook

Michael was born in California to Canadian parents, lived and travelled in the US and Latin America in younger years, gaining an appreciation for diverse cultures and our planet’s wonderous natural beauty. He attended high school and University in Guelph and is the proud father of 5, and grandfather to 2 – so far. He came to Marmora in 2006 and fell in love with the community and the land.

Michael considers himself a Blue-collar Green. He spent decades working construction sites across Ontario and Canada, while still indulging a passion for getting out into the wilderness. He worked in multiple industries, union shops and non, large companies and small, ran crews, sites, and his own businesses, is still working, importing and promoting specialized low impact construction equipment.

Along the way he was involved in sport and community non-profits, including Habitat for Humanity, helping many hard working families in challenging situations, achieve home ownership. Habitat’s mantra of “a hand up, not a handout” encapsulates Michael’s take on solving many societal challenges.

While our political system tends to favour urban and large corporate interests, Michael wants to fight for recognition that a rural life is just as valid as an urban one, that every citizen’s voice should count equally, and that small and medium sized businesses are, and must continue to be, the backbone of our economy. Productivity must be balanced with conservation; innovation and drive must be wisely guided to be sustainable.

Michael sees the GPO platform, under Mike Schreiner’s leadership, as our best way forward to a better democracy, a protected environment, and a prosperous Ontario.