HomeMy WebLinkAboutClinton News Record, 2014-01-08, Page 9Wednesday, January 8, 2014 • News Record 9
Huron -Bruce MPP reflects on the year that was
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David Flaherty
Goderich Signal -Star
To call 2013 a tumultuous year
in the Ontario Legislature may be
an understatement.
The governing Liberals have
been under scrutiny on a number
of issues including cancelled gas
plants, the Green Energy Act and
labour issues with elementary and
secondary school teachers.
Huron -Bruce MPP Lisa Thomp-
son was at a loss for words when
asked if she felt the Liberals got
anything right in 2013.
"I really can't find one thing,"
Thompson said.
She said Premier Kathleen
Wynne told PC leader Tim Hudak
that once the Legislature recon-
vened in September, she would be
willing to wipe the slate clean and
bring some attention to the issues
of job creation and the economy.
"Since then, they've brought in
bills, that while important in their
own context, have not addressed
those issues at all," she said.
Thompson said there is a huge
void of jobs in both the urban and
rural areas of the province.
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She expressed her dismay in
the increase of membership fees,
or what she called "the trades tax';
through the Ontario College of
Trades.
"We have to stop the burden on
small businesses," Thompson
said.
Thompson criticized the Liber-
als for "gouging Ontario taxpay-
ers" whether it be increasing
hydro rates or proposing increases
to gas taxes.
Locally, Thompson said the
bureaucracy of health care has
really been felt in rural areas such
as Huron -Bruce.
She said hospitals are struggling
and not enough focus is being put
on care that helps people stay in
their homes longer as they age.
Thompson said the Liberals are
also squeezing down on munici-
palities through decreases in
funding through the Ontario
Municipal Partnership Fund
(OMPF).
She said those cuts could lead
to tax increases that while admin-
istered through municipalities,
are as a result of provincial
actions.
However, Thompson said it
wasn't all bad news in 2013 as she
listed a number of accomplish-
ments in the riding this year.
Our Annual
She highlighted the Field to Fort
Gala, which she said shows the
local agricultural industry recog-
nizes the efficiency in moving for-
ward with "farming hubs'
Also, she credited the local resi-
dents who have shown initiative
by developing potential uses for
the Bluewater Youth Centre in
Goderich.
Speaking about a group of
members of the Huron County
4-H Club called the Wawanosh
Girls who won the provincial Go
for the Gold competition at the
Royal Agricultural Winter Fair this
fall, Thompson said local youth
are showing an interest in being
positively involved in the
community.
She also spoke highly of Glen
and Vanda McNeil, a couple from
Ashfield-Colbome-Wawanosh.
With son Curtis, they were recog-
nized by the Bank of Montreal as
one of the 10 outstanding "farm
families" in Ontario.
Thompson said she was very
happy with a renewable energy
symposium meeting she held in
July which attracted representa-
tives from a number of renewable
energy industries.
Although the 41st Ontario pro-
vincial election is not scheduled
until October of 2015, Thompson
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said she and the PC party are ready and
able should it come sooner.
"We are focused on it now," Thompson
said, noting that the party has released a
number of "white papers" which discuss
its plans on a wide variety of topics
including health care, education, rural
and northern issues and manufacturing
just to name a few.
However, she said the trigger on an
election could only be pulled by the NDP,
which she said has propped up the Lib-
eral government.
"I've seen the NDP sit on their hands to
avoid controversy."
Asked how the PC Party plans to
dethrone a Liberal government that has
been in power for over a decade, Thomp-
son said, "I encourage people to be hon-
est with themselves and access what the
current (party) has created."
While Thompson said she likes Wynne
as a person and truly believes she
"thought she could make a difference"
when she became premier, "The mess
created by Liberal policies, governance
and leadership is so enormous...it takes
more than a person with a good heart to
make the right decisions to turn this prov-
ince around:'
With some political analysts saying the
next election could be PC leader Tim
Hudak's last chance if he loses, Thomp-
son made it clear she is 100% behind
him.
"I'm absolutely behind Tim Hudak He
understands what needs to be done to
move the province forward in recovery
mode," Thompson said. "While we have
confidence in Tim, he has confidence in
us (his caucus) that you may not see in
other parties."
"He has the type of leadership that we
need, not the type of leadership we have
been getting."
CLINTON
RIVERSIDE
ESTATES HAS BEEN BOUGHT BY
HURON
RIVER VILLA
We will be revitalizing
the mobile home park.
FOR FREE COFFEE AND DONUTS.
Open House Januaryl 1, 2014
1 Oam - 4pm
All are Welcome
Brian Combs will be onsite to show
mobiles for sale from 1 pm - 4pm
HURON RIVER VILLA
MOBILE HOME PARK
519-606-9812