Rob Fox defines himself as a family man, a businessman, a politician, but most of all, a proud Canadian. The Liberal candidate for the Westlock-St. Paul riding believes that Canada has grown unrecognizable and it’s time for a change.
Fox currently lives on the same quarter of land he grew up on. A local boy, he was born in Glendon, schooled in Bonnyville, and worked construction as a young man, returning home to help his father farm in the summer. He has more than 25 years of experience in the oil industry, and now runs a consulting and investment company.
Of all his accomplishments, however, what he values the most is family. “My greatest achievement is my family,” he said. “My family makes me proud of them.”
He married Bonnyville resident Louise Vincent in 1981, and they have four children, all of whom have graduated university or will graduate in the next two years.
Though he had always been interested in politics, it was while travelling internationally in 2008 that Fox was inspired to become more personally involved. While in Germany, he discussed recent changes to Canadian standard of living and foreign policy with a visiting couple from Sweden and a German local.
The couple from Sweden shared stories of travelling across Canada in the mid-1980s and mentioned how Canada used to be one of the best places to live in the world, and now it did not even make the top 10.
“The German said, ‘It used to be that Canada was Canada,’” Fox explained. “‘Now, it’s Canada and George Bush, same thing.’ I tried to explain to him that we weren’t the same thing, but two years ago, that was really hard.”
For a man who cannot recount family trips overseas and visiting Juno Beach, Dieppe, and Vimy Ridge without fighting tears, the change in Canada’s international reputation was reason enough to fight for change.
“That’s not the Canada I grew up in,” he added. “That’s not the Canada I want my grandchildren to grow up in.”
He thinks voters ought to make a list of their top five values, find out which candidate supports those values, and vote accordingly.
“If it’s the Conservatives, by all means, vote for them. If it’s not, then look at who does support those values. Don’t let other people tell you …
“The election isn’t about teams or about us against them. What we’re trying to do is move forward, bring people together, not divide them or pit one against the other,” he explained. “It’s not rural against urban, East against West, French against English. We are so fortunate to live in the country that we do. We have differences, but we have commonalities too, common ground, and that’s being Canadian … We’re pretty special.”
Fox’s priorities involve public health care, regulating the market economy to protect the consumer, and fiscal responsibility.
“As a small business owner,” he explained, “you can’t run a deficit and expect to remain in business.” The same is true of government.
Fox worries the Conservative government is outfitting our military for the Cold War, not for today’s needs. He is concerned that it is a disservice to those with Multiple Sclerosis and their quality of life not to instigate trials of liberation therapy in Canada, and not to be able to offer proper aftercare to those who seek the treatment elsewhere. He thinks it is time those in Parliament stop fighting each other and start working together for a better Canada.
For Fox, the most important thing for voters to know about him is the importance of “family and country,” he finished, and that he believes it is time for a change.
“It may be that you’re moving little steps,” he said. “But as long as you’re moving forward, you’re leaving a better place for the younger generation that comes after,” adding that he is committed to a government that is moving forward.
See the Journal next week for more candidates’ profiles and election coverage.
