Pembroke – It’s not often you can catch Renfrew-Nipissing-Pembroke MPP John Yakabsuki speechless, but that was the case last Wednesday morning when he entered the council chamber at the County of Renfrew administration building to a standing ovation.

The applause came from present and former councillors, staff and members of his family and office staff who were invited to a surprise celebration recognizing his 20 years in office.

Shocked to see his family members in the gallery, he proceeded to exchange a hug with his wife, Vicky, and acknowledged his other family members in attendance, before taking the chair normally occupied by the Mayor of Madawaska Valley, who was not in attendance that day.

Mr. Yakabuski had been invited to provide an update from Queen’s Park to county council, with Warden Peter Emom quickly admitting he had lied to the MPP to get him there for the event. He said he would get Mr. Yakabuski back for the update at some point, but Wednesday was about the county showing their appreciation for his 20 years of service that began when he was first elected as a member of the opposition in October 2003.

He recalled one of his first meetings with Mr. Yakabuski was when he was a councillor for Greater Madawaska and they met at a Good Roads conference where they had the first of many good conversations about the workings of government, which the warden said was a great education for him. He said the townships were discussing amalgamations and there were some tough decisions to make.

“John is very good to offer advice and to guide us,” he said.  

He noted from his first day, Mr. Yakabuski demonstrated his unique ability to communicate effectively with members of the other parties.

“In delegations, John was and remains on point, and he demonstrates his ties to the community and to our issues, and that’s such a strength for us to have when we go to Queen’s Park.”

Warden Emon cited multiple issues Mr. Yakabuski helped find solutions for various municipalities in the county.

He spoke of the MPPs dedication to his role over the 20 years, noting even when he had hip replacement surgery, he ensured his speedy recovery by taking steps before and after the surgery to get back to work as soon as possible.

From Santa Claus parades, winter festivals, Remembrance Day services, and fundraising events like the Ride For Hospice he did with Leader editor Gerald Tracey, Mr. Yakabuski was there.

He acknowledged the tremendous amount of funding he has lobbied for and been successful in securing for the county that included hospitals and clinics, roads and other infrastructure, broadband expansion, the modernization of the county building, and the community paramedicine and VTAC (Virtual Triage and Assessment Centre), as well as the Ontario Winter Games in 2023, to name a few.

“What we did was very unusual,” he said of the games. “Kudos to John because he assured Minister (Lisa) McLeod we knew what we were doing.”

He added Mr. Yakabuski was great in facilitating a meeting with the various ministries in 2022 where the county made its pitch to host the games.

Warden Emon also noted Mr. Yakabuski’s involvement in the creation of the Bonnechere River Watershed Management Plan (BRWMP) amendment that helped reduce the threat of flooding along the waterway.

Congratulatory Messages

Councillor Anne Giardini, Mayor of Laurentian Hills, brought congratulations on behalf of MP Cheryl Gallant.

“This milestone marks two decades of unwavering dedication and service to our community,” she read. “Your commitment to representing the interests and concerns of your constituents with integrity and passion is truly commendable.

“Throughout the years, you have demonstrated exceptional leadership, resilience and a deep understanding of the unique needs of our riding,” she continued. “Your achievements and contributions have left an indelible mark on our region and have significantly enhanced the lives of countless individuals.”

Premier Doug Ford sent a video message, describing his colleague as an outstanding leader who has had such a positive impact on the people around him and those he serves. He commended him on his commitment to not only the people of the riding but to all Ontarians.

“Here’s to many more years, and all the very best,” he remarked. “Have a drink on me Yak.”

Hid daughter, Emily, her husband Tom and their children sent a video message from Fort Smith, NWT.

“Congratulations, Grandpa,” the kids began.

Emilynoted being an MPP was the perfect job for her father.

“With your determination and stubbornness, this is the perfect job for you because you haven’t given up on anything. I think the people in the riding know that you’ve done the best you can for them.

“I know you’re probably not enjoying any of this, so I hope you can look back on it and see . . . I’m sure you have put others through it in the past,” she added. “So, take your recognition and the compliments; you deserve every one of them.”

“You’re doing an amazing job,” a grandchild added.

When Emily asked her children if Grandpa would ever retire, one responded, “No, he gets moolah.”

They ended the message with, “Love you, Grandpa.”

Several former wardens presented congratulations either virtually or in person. Bill Schweig (2002-2003) sent a congratulatory message thanking Mr. Yakabuski for his reliable and unending efforts. Bob Sweet (2003-2006, 2010-2012) also sent a congratulatory message, noting he always enjoyed working with Mr. Yakabuski and he would hold a special place in his memories. Don Rathwell (2009-2010) sent a message stating he recently spent time with John at the Cobden Civitan 50^th anniversary where they did some catching up on old times. He wished him well and many more years of service.

Former warden Janice Tiedje, who was present, noted she and Mr. Yakabuski went to school together, and he was a councillor in Barry’s Bay when she was reeve in Killaloe, Hagarty and Richards (KHR). She said later when he became MPP, she was always glad to have him with her when she was part of a delegation in Toronto.

“Those ministers knew him, they knew he would not allow nonsense, and that we meant business,” she said. “I always felt comfortable with him sitting there beside me.”

She stressed they never would have gotten the BRWMP amendment done without his support, noting he would take her calls even when on holidays.

“I consider Vicky and John my dear friends, and he’s always been there when I needed him and when KHR needed him. You’ve done well in your career; you’ve found your niche.

“And we’re so proud of you coming from that end of the county,” she ended.

Jennifer Murphy (2017-2019) recalled how she was warden during the floods of 2017 and 2019 and the tornado in Greater Madawaska in 2018.

“Yak was with me every step of the way,” she recalled, in what she described as a horrible time for the people in the county.

She noted he has a great ability to remember people’s names, which shows how much he cares about the people he interacts with.

“You don’t just meet them, you get to know them, you remember their names,” she stated.

Debbie Robinson (2019-2022) said it has been well documented how Mr. Yakabuski collaborated with her when they were trying to get permanent funding for VTAC. She recalled being in Florida with her family when he called to tell her the announcement was being made.

Ms. Robinson recalled the many doors Mr. Yakabuski opened for her over the years to access the right people at Queen’s Park.

“For the countless days and nights, and trips that you make on behalf of the residents of the County of Renfrew, I thank you from the bottom of my heart,” she said. “And I really want to thank you for being my trusted confidante for three years.”

Wears Emotions On Sleeve

Mr. Yakabuski admitted anyone who may have seen him in his younger days playing hockey or ball would agree he was an unmovable hard ass, with an unemotional drive and desire to get the job done.

“But I think you can also see, there are things that get to me,” he shared struggling to control his emotions.

He re-iterated what his daughter Emily had said about him usually being on the other side of the celebrations where he was honouring someone and not the honouree.

“But I have to say, it is a tremendous honour.”

 Mr. Yakabuski said he often thinks back to when his late father, the former MPP Paul Yakabuski was in office, crediting his own success to having been mentored by one of the best.  

“I knew what my role was. My role was to support the people of Renfrew-Nipissing-Pembroke.”

He stressed that to be successful in representing a riding, one has to know how to work with others.

“And I do, quite frankly, pride myself in the way I was able to work in opposition for 15 years and develop really good, solid relationships with people, as they say, on the other side.”

Mr. Yakabuski said a large part of his role is being a messenger for the people of the riding, noting politics is done differently here. He said on October 20, 2023, his actual 20^th anniversary, he received a beautiful tribute from former Liberal candidate, Derek Nighbor, whom he narrowly defeated in his first election, congratulating him on his career to date.

“It’s a tremendous honour to be an MPP,” noting less than 2,000 people have ever had that honour in Ontario.

“So, when you think of that, it is humbling in the greatest way to be one of those few. To be one of those people is a very special honour and to be able have that honour for 20 years and more, is yes, an honour for me, but also so humbling that my peers have continued to send me back over that period of time.”

He acknowledged he would not be able to do the job without the tremendous support he receives from his wife, Vicky, and his family, once again struggling with his emotions.

“You don’t do this by yourself. None of this is possible without the love and support of your family, and I have a great one.”

He said being an elected official has its challenges and it’s the people who are closest to you who share that with you. Once elected, he said you rely on your staff to get things done, noting people often thank him for something he has done for them or their families, and he knows nothing about it because the staff handled it. 

“The people who work for you hold that for down every single day,” he noted. “I’ve been so blessed with such an amazing group of people. Without them, it’s not difficult, it’s impossible.”

In conclusion, he said everything he does in his role touches someone’s life in one way or another.

“And that’s what makes it special,” he said through tears.

Final Word

Mr. Yakabuski’s longtime friend, and the person responsible for urging him to run for the PC nomination back in 2003, Leader Publisher Gerald Tracey, told those assembled after his friend retired from the hardware business in 2003, he planned to become a Lutheran minister. Then when MPP Sean Conway announced his retirement, Mr. Tracey saw the opportunity for him to run for office and the rest is history.

Mr. Yakabuski thought at first Mr. Tracey was crazy, but after some thought he decided to announce his candidacy for the PC nomination. His first campaign was to win the party nomination against Pembroke accountant Doug Leach. Mr. Tracey recalled when the first poll came in from Pembroke, Mr. Leach had a sizable lead, but then when results from the Killaloe poll came in, Mr. Yakabuski was successful by a margin of 174.

Mr. Tracey said he had the pleasure of following the late Paul Yakabuski (1963-1987) around for many years, noting he was a force to be reckoned with and his son has followed in his footsteps. He acknowledged Mr. Yakabuski for bringing hundreds of millions of dollars into the riding over his 20 plus years. He also acknowledged three of his siblings, Martin, Lorna and Karen, who were in attendance Wednesday along with his wife, Vicky, their son Zachary, his wife, Stephanie, and their son, Wallace.

“I’ve probably lived through four MPPs and it’s going to be tough to replace John Yakabuski when he decides it’s time to retire,” he said, adding he hoped he would be around to celebrate his 30^th anniversary with him.

 “Thank you for being a friend, thank you for being one of the most effective MPPs we have ever had.”