Looking back, looking ahead, part 3: MP Nater

Perth-Wellington MP John Nater reflects on 2025 and looks ahead to 2026.

CONNOR LUCZKA, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

If one word could sum up 2025, it would perhaps be “uncertainty,” according to Perth-Wellington MP John Nater.

“2025 started out with a great deal of uncertainty, and that uncertainty seemed to be carried on throughout the entire year,” Nater said, citing developments throughout the year regarding trade, alliances and the economic health of Canada and the world.

“Locally, I think we have to give a huge amount of credit to local businesses and groups here in Perth-Wellington. It was not an easy year to deal with, but you have to give credit to local businesses and industries who really met the moment, who persevered, shifted and made changes where things were needed, found new suppliers where possible and really persevered throughout the year.

“Obviously, it was not an easy year, and obviously further challenges are going to be on the horizon, but you know – credit to our local industries and businesses who really did the hard work this past year.”

One of the prominent features of 2025 was the snap election called by Prime Minister Mark Carney. For Nater, the election was a mixed result: while he was re-elected to parliament, his party remained the Official Opposition.

Nater said that he is “humbled and honoured” to be chosen to represent Perth-Wellington again. While only a few months prior, before Carney took over after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau resigned, polls indicated a Pierre Poilievre-led Conservative Party would win an election, Nater said it was another example of last year’s uncertain times.

“We came close, but close only counts in horseshoes,” Nater said. “There's a lot of work that has to be done to reflect on what went well in the election campaign for the Conservative Party. And obviously, what needs to change for any future elections.”

Next week, the party hosts its annual convention from Jan. 29 to 31 – and will hold a leadership review on Jan. 30. As an assistant deputy speaker, Nater was not at liberty to say his preference going into the vote – given his nonpartisan role – though he did say from what he’s heard Poilievre will continue as leader with a resounding vote.

On last year’s election, Nater said that when he was knocking on doors in Perth-Wellington, the number of engaged young people was astounding. He is waiting for Elections Canada to provide official numbers but is optimistic the stats will match his experience door to door.

“It was a crazy year, but I think the highlight for me was how people responded to all the challenges and all the threats this past year,” Nater said. “Locally, we had a great year here in terms of tourism, it was a strong year in the agriculture industry. And those are really two of the industries, combined with manufacturing, that really make up so much of the employment base here in Perth-Wellington … So it feels like we're really in a good spot, despite the uncertainty and despite the challenges of the border.

“… I have never seen so many Canadian flags being flown,” Nater went on to say. “And I think that renewed sense of Canadian pride, Canadian patriotism, is just amazing to see. And so sometimes out of the negative, there are some positives. I think that's one of the things to really celebrate.”

Turning to 2026 and the year ahead, Nater said that the government of Canada should be keeping an eye on the economy writ large – and more specifically, hesitancy in the private sector around capital expansion. Throughout last year’s on-again, off-again tariff threats, local businesses responded with caution. This year, the government should be looking at ways to help address business owners’ hesitancy.

For all Canadians, the cost of living will be a real challenge, he added, as it has been in the near past. The rising costs due to inflation are hampering local families and the cost of food prices are rising even more than the regular rate of inflation, which is putting more of a burden on local food banks already dealing with record-high usage.

“It's not sustainable. And in a country like ours, and in a community like ours where we have literally some of the strongest agricultural roots in the world, to have so many people who are food insecure? It's a blight on our country.”

During the Times’ interviews with both Stratford Mayor Martin Ritsma and Perth-Wellington MPP Matthew Rae, infrastructure topped the list of priorities for this year – which is also the case for Nater, who said that advocating for local infrastructure projects in the area is something he will be doing continually throughout 2026.

“The other thing I'm hearing a lot about is the challenges of crime, and we really do need to address some of the real factors that are playing into that, and one of them is bail reform,” Nater said. “I hear a lot locally about property crime. And unfortunately, bail has been playing a huge role into that, where repeat offenders who are on bail are committing these crimes. So we really need to tackle that. And there is legislation for the house. So … I'm hopeful that we can see that addressed relatively early in the new year.”

This year, CUSMA, the free-trade agreement between Canada, the United States and Mexico, is set to be renegotiated, another thing for Canadians to keep an eye on. Nater said that although Canada needs to lean on its trade partnerships between Europe and Asia right now, the geography of our country isn’t changing. A new CUSMA agreement needs to be fruitful for Canada and his party has offered its support to the government in any way its members can assist.

Nater wrapped up his reflection on 2025 and 2026 by highlighting an issue that perhaps has been pushed aside due to other problems in the spotlight right now: mental health.

“I think it is an issue that may not always be top of mind, may not always be at the forefront. We need to focus on mental health. We need to be aware of it in our communities and our families and our co-workers.

“… Mental health is health, and we need to be prepared to lend that assistance and also have the resources available for folks who are struggling,” Nater said.