Will Bouma

Willem Bouma (born July 27, 1972) is a Dutch-Canadian politician, who was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario in the 2018 provincial election. He represents the riding of Brantford—Brant as a member of the Progressive Conservative Party. Before becoming an MPP, Bouma practised optometry and was a member of the Brant County Council. Bouma attended the University of Waterloo, and graduated with a Bachelor of Science in 1995. He then studied at the Michigan College of Optometry, graduating in 1999. He practiced optometry in Michigan for seven years, but moved back to Ontario in 2006, settling in St. George, where he established an optometry office.

Brant County Council In 2014, he ran for the Brant County Council in ward 1, which consists of the rural areas in the north of the municipality.

Provincial Parliament Bouma ran to succeed retiring MPP Dave Levac in the 2018 provincial election. He was nominated by the Brantford—Brant Progressive Conservative Riding Association on April 8, 2017. Bouma's campaign focused primarily on cost-of-living, healthcare, hydro prices, and taxation.

Bouma was sworn in on July 11, 2018. In June 2019, he was appointed Parliamentary Assistant to the Premier.

Abortion controversy Bouma, along with fellow Progressive Conservative MPPs Christina Mitas and Sam Oosterhoff, spoke at an anti-abortion rally in Queen's Park in May 2019. Bouma quoted from the Bible, while Oosterhoff pledged to "make abortion unthinkable in our lifetime". This drew criticism from parts of the Progressive Conservative Party, as well as the New Democratic Official Opposition. The Brantford—Brant NDP issued a statement calling Bouma's comments "archaic", and Opposition Leader Andrea Horwath said that she was "horrified" that the MPPs' participation in the demonstration. Demonstrators on both sides of the issue gathered outside of Bouma's office in Brantford on May 31, 2019.

Personal life Bouma lives in the town of St. George with his wife Joni and their five children.

2014 Brant County Council election, Ward 1 Candidate Vote % John Wheat 956 20.69 Will Bouma 928 20.09 Willie Morley 754 16.32 Dave Thomson 490 10.61 John MacApline 448 9.70 Ken Burns 429 9.28 John Bell 411 8.90 William Kelley 112 2.42 Ray Grummett 92 1.99Source: County of Brant