Waterloo region's 4 rookie MPPs reveal highs and lows of 1st year at Queen's Park

This month marks one year on the job for four of Waterloo region's MPPs elected for the first time to their seats in June 2018.

The year was a tumultuous one, marked by protests, heated arguments at Queen's Park and a slew of policy changes from the incoming Progressive Conservative government.

On Friday,CBC Kitchener-Waterloo'sThe Morning Edition,invited all four rookie MPPs to reflect on the difficult year and share the highs and lows with host Craig Norris.

PC MPPs Amy Fee, Belinda Karahalios and Mike Harris sat down alongsideNDP MPP Laura Mae Lindo.

Here's what they had to say:

Autism backlash

Fee has faced a lot of backlash for the PC government's changes to autism funding in Ontario.

As the parliamentary assistant to the minister of children, community, and social services, she has been in the middle of the debate over the changes to the Ontario Autism Program.

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Fee acknowledged it has been tough, especially because she is personally invested in the issue.She has two children with autism.

"Everyone who's standing up and fighting is fighting for their child," she said.

Declining popularity

Premier Doug Ford is not as popular as he was when he was elected a year ago. There are reports Ford plans to shuffle his cabinet.

Harris was asked what impact that has on the party's morale,and he said polls only tell so much of a story.

"When we get out in the community, and I've had the opportunity to actually get out with Premier Ford at a few events ... People come up to him all the time, they shake his hand, keep going, you're doing great, we love seeing what's happening," said Harris.

Twitter campaigns

In recent months, PC MPPs have been tweeting from gas stations about the carbon tax and from convenience stores about the government's decision to allow beer to be sold there.

Karahalios was asked about those campaigns because she didn't take part in them.

She says she's been focused on the issues important to people in Cambridge, which includes the hospital's lengthy renovations and people struggling with addictions.

Being the Opposition

Lindo was the only NDP MPP at the panel discussion table.

She said despite not being in power, she believes she's made a difference byadvocating for what people in Kitchener Centre wantand helping people be heard.

"[I] fill the debates with real stories of howwhat is being called an enhancement on one hand, is actually impacting folks on the ground," she said.

To see more of what the panelists had to say, visit CBC Kitchener-Waterloo's Facebook page.