Whether it was navigating the final days of the COVID-19 pandemic, or dealing with the fallout from the Ambassador Bridge blockade, 2022 was an eventful year in Windsor.
It was in Ottawa too, where the minority federal government went from uncertain to stable thanks to a deal between two of the parties in the House of Commons.
The NDP agreed to a confidence-and-supply agreement back in March, that will see the federal Liberals to govern with NDP support until 2025, contingent on the implementation of a negotiated list of policies and priorities.
Windsor West MP Brian Masse says there's no doubt it was an interesting year, and they chose to make politics work by focusing on issues which led to some major concessions from the government.
"We were able to negotiate a new dental program that's rolled out now for children, and it will roll out for seniors and people with disabilities next year. This is one of the first new health care initiatives that has come across Canada in nearly 50 years. So this is important, and it will take some strain off of hospitals too for people going unnecessarily for supports when they've let their teeth go."
The recent doubling of the GST tax credit and rent support for low income families were other examples of things Masse says the NDP were able to accomplish through pushing the government.
"Those are things we really want to see expanded in the year coming up. We've also taken a very strong position I think where people see inequity. We've done it by fighting corporate greed, when you look at grocery stores, banks, and the oil and gas industry making record profits and we've been able to push hard back," he said.
Another area where they've seen some advancements, but Masse says he'd like to go further, is around the issue of paid sick leave.
"Although this isn't universal right now, we have had selective industries now get paid sick leave," he continued. "Because we know that even right now people are still getting sick quite a bit, and a healthy workforce is a more productive society."
In looking ahead to 2023, Masse says two key issues he's focused on include continuing to try and get Windsor reimbursed for the $5.7-million in costs related to the Ambassador Bridge blockade and getting the Ojibway National Urban Park project complete.