08/03/2026
Dear friends, clients, and community,
I miss seeing you. I miss your faces. And I know you are wondering—I heard the whispers, and I was even asked when we would open while I was all the way in Ottawa!
The delay
Let me be completely transparent: this delay is not on us. It is not a lack of hard work, money, or will. We have missed asparagus season, then scapes, then cherries, then raspberries. This weekend, we harvested our garlic. I am doing everything I possibly can to open those doors—I promise you that.
I was hoping to update the windows of my building, but honestly? I am now terrified to even ask for a permit. It blows my mind—especially knowing we have folks in our community living in truly subpar conditions—that someone who actively maintains and upkeeps a historic building in the absolute best possible condition is the one being given such a hard time.
The process
We have always done everything strictly by the book, sparing no expense, and obtaining permits whenever required. I had no issues working with the previous building inspector team—they were thorough, fair, and reasonable.
Unfortunately, that is not the reality we are facing right now. Ever since I filed a formal complaint regarding unprofessional conduct at the township, we have faced what feels like a retaliatory wall of unreasonable demands and bureaucratic hurdles—forcing us to hire and consult with engineers just to see if their shifting requirements are even physically achievable. (To be fair, one condition is entirely reasonable, and that one will get done.)
But the rest? The rest is punishment. And frankly, the "boys' club" doesn't like it when a woman calls out their misconduct. This harassment is wearing me down—exactly as they intended—and it honestly has me seriously considering relocating.
Why I stay
Because here is the painful part: I love this village. I loved raising my kids here. They were part of every club at the library, they played at the park, they delivered hand-picked flowers to villagers. Everyone knew them—especially our youngest with his little cowboy hat. The tavern, the flower shop, our local business family... you have all been so willing to help out over the years. I cherish that. I cherish you.
Twenty years ago, when my husband and I were just a young couple—a doctor and a teacher with a bunch of little kids—a real estate agent who was also a friend warned us not to consider Champlain Township. She told us it had a terrible reputation for being ultra-difficult to work with. We fell in love with the charm of Vankleek Hill and disregarded that warning... to our absolute detriment. And that reputation hasn't made recruiting other doctors to this area any easier over the years, either.
What I believe
I am not a perfect person. I wear my heart on my sleeve. My friends say I look at the world through rainbows and unicorn glasses—but I am older now, and with age comes the privilege of understanding how the world really works. That understanding, though, isn't why I refuse. I refuse because I refuse to accept a system that is unjust. Plain and simple. I refuse.
I believe in justice, fairness, and equity. I volunteer readily. I go out of my way and put myself on hold to help others. I work hard, take little for granted, and believe that hard work gets you closer to your goals.
And that is why I am still fighting. Not for me—for Grace. Because we all need a little bit of her firecracker personality in our daily lives. For Mia and the youth, to give them opportunities that the cost of a start-up otherwise steals from them. For regenerative farming, for a circular economy, for food sovereignty—because our team believes in what is possible here.
The politics (because I refuse to stay silent)
They say businesses are supposed to stay out of politics. If you know me, you know I don't play by those rules. I am always down to debate this over a cup of coffee—and if you plan to vote for someone else, that is completely fine. I will still serve you with a smile, and we can talk about it without a single grudge, because I respect everyone's right to choose what they believe is best.
But in our household, we will be casting our votes for Vote / Votez Corina Parisien. She represents our community's true interests, she is not afraid to ask the tough questions, and she actually knows how to get things done. She is the change we desperately need.
My ask of you
Please, make your voices heard. Do not stay silent. Vote for transparency. Vote for accountability. Vote for change. Vote in your municipal elections this October. It's easy. You can do it online or by phone. Just vote.
The bottom line
I am not giving up. I refuse to give up. With your support—and with the right leadership in place—we will get there.
With all my gratitude and all my fight,
Brigitte
