If you start from the corner of Hwy 401 and County Road 103, and head north, you will arrive at the lovely Village of Newbury, Ontario, population 439. Newbury is "a full service community in the Heart of Skunks Misery," (as they proudly proclaim on the village website).
Newbury also happens to be the home of the famous McNaughton Home Hardware. McNaughton's offers not only the same goods and services as any other Home Hardware, but it's also a kind of commerical general store with an LCBO, food sales, and more. It is a local, family-owned business like so many in Ontario.
The store was formerly owned by the family of provincial Minister of Labour Monte McNaughton but they sold it in 2016. The sale was quite an event, as you can imagine for a community of 439 people. It was reported far and wide. To this day, if you Google "NcNaughton Home Hardware sold," you will get numerous hits celebrating the sale of the store. Below is a sample from the London Free Press of August 2, 2016. That's Monte McNaughton on the far left of the photo.
The store was formerly owned by the family of provincial Minister of Labour Monte McNaughton but they sold it in 2016. The sale was quite an event, as you can imagine for a community of 439 people. It was reported far and wide. To this day, if you Google "NcNaughton Home Hardware sold," you will get numerous hits celebrating the sale of the store. Below is a sample from the London Free Press of August 2, 2016. That's Monte McNaughton on the far left of the photo.
You can do a quick online search for the McNaughton Home Hardware on the Village of Newbury website. The website shows that the store sits in the M1 zone of town which permits "commercial use." That's why the store has been selling everything from liquor, to food, to hardware literally for years. It's pretty simple, really. They have the zoning for it, so they can do it. You can easily verify that online by reading the Village of Newbury zoning by-law.
The store has coolers and sells frozen food (not eggs or milk), in addition to their usual fare. Of course, that's logical, because they are zoned for "commercial use." Now here is where things get a bit political for the Village of Newbury. Some people who aren't from Newbury, don't know Newbury, and maybe have never shopped in Newbury, think it's not fair for NcNaughton Home Hardware (not owned by Monte McNaughton) to sell eggs and milk (even though they are not selling eggs or milk).
For example, here is a tweet from former Essex NDP MP Tracey Ramsey, posted on January 4, 2021. She accuses Monte McNaughton of skirting rules to sell eggs and milk (even though they are not selling eggs or milk). She also accuses Monte McNaughton of "abusing power" and accuses him of being "privileged."
For example, here is a tweet from former Essex NDP MP Tracey Ramsey, posted on January 4, 2021. She accuses Monte McNaughton of skirting rules to sell eggs and milk (even though they are not selling eggs or milk). She also accuses Monte McNaughton of "abusing power" and accuses him of being "privileged."
Of course, the accusations made by Tracey Ramsey are silly. If she bothered to look up the zoning by-law (which is easily available online) she would realize that the store is zoned for selling food. And if she bothered to do even a short internet search, she would realize that McNaughton Home Hardware (not owned by Monte McNaughton) has been selling food for years. She might even learn that McNaughton Home Hardware isn't owned by Monte McNaughton.
But I suppose Ms. Ramsey can be forgiven. After all, she was relying on information provided by some guy named Mike Radan. And who is Mike Radan?
Well, it turns out that Mike Radan is the twice-defeated, unsuccessful Liberal candidate in Lambton-Kent-Middlesex. That’s the same riding Mr. McNaughton represents. Mike Radan lost two elections in a row to Mr. McNaughton. Below are the official election results from Elections Ontario. Maybe Mr. Radan has a chip on his shoulder?
But I suppose Ms. Ramsey can be forgiven. After all, she was relying on information provided by some guy named Mike Radan. And who is Mike Radan?
Well, it turns out that Mike Radan is the twice-defeated, unsuccessful Liberal candidate in Lambton-Kent-Middlesex. That’s the same riding Mr. McNaughton represents. Mike Radan lost two elections in a row to Mr. McNaughton. Below are the official election results from Elections Ontario. Maybe Mr. Radan has a chip on his shoulder?
And maybe I'm being too easy on Ms. Ramsey. After all, I verified all this information on the internet from the comfort of my own home. She could have done that. For example, the whole history of the store is available right on their website, which verifies that the owner is actually Graham Young (not Monte McNaughton). Or you could just call them (like I did) at 1-800-265-4259. The staff is very friendly.
You would think that Ms. Ramsey, being a former MP herself, would be a bit wiser than to throw around false accusations without first doing a little homework. Accusing a public figure of skirting the rules and "abusing power" is pretty inflamatory, and perhaps even slanderous. But in my experience of politics there are different kinds of politicians. There are the ones who do their homework. And then there are the Tracey Ramseys.
Anyways, I'm sure looking forward to visiting Newbury, Ontario after the lockdown is lifted. I'm going to buy eggs and milk (but not at McNaughton's). And I might even get a ladder and a bottle of wine. Newbury, Ontario sounds like my kind of town.
You would think that Ms. Ramsey, being a former MP herself, would be a bit wiser than to throw around false accusations without first doing a little homework. Accusing a public figure of skirting the rules and "abusing power" is pretty inflamatory, and perhaps even slanderous. But in my experience of politics there are different kinds of politicians. There are the ones who do their homework. And then there are the Tracey Ramseys.
Anyways, I'm sure looking forward to visiting Newbury, Ontario after the lockdown is lifted. I'm going to buy eggs and milk (but not at McNaughton's). And I might even get a ladder and a bottle of wine. Newbury, Ontario sounds like my kind of town.