HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2019-04-18, Page 19THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, APRIL 18, 2019. PAGE 19.
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hopes of leveraging relationships to
reach decision-makers and federal
and provincial representatives. He
added that he hoped to have one
industry specialist per target industry.
Once those connections are made,
Joudry said, then the business
connection process would begin
with the rest of the economic
development team.
Joudry then showed council some
statistics, saying that the number of
one-on-one business consultations in
2018 (292) had increased greatly
over 2017 (191).
Now, he said, the department is
seeking feedback in the hopes of
bringing the strategy into play.
Huron County Warden Jim Ginn
said he was impressed with the plan,
adding that much of the growth
Huron County is going to see are
those small, incremental increases
like a company of three employees
growing to five.
He also added that, with one of the
lowest unemployment rates in
Ontario, really Huron County
is doing pretty well when it
comes to its jobs and business
landscape.
Teams set to help
ec. dev. process
Thompson says school layoffs are choice of boards
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the current government is hoping to
change that.
“The reality is the system we
inherited was absolutely broken,”
Thompson said, adding that a large
number of residents on programs
like Ontario Works would simply
return to the program within a year.
“The best social program is indeed
a job, so we’re going to be fixing the
ineffective, disjointed patchwork of
supports and again, at the end of the
day, the people who absolutely need
Ontario standing with them will
have the supports they need, all the
while we’re going to be enabling
people who can work to get a job,”
Thompson said.
With the increase in spending in
the budget, despite the current
government’s criticism of the
previous Liberal government’s
excessive spending, Thompson says
the time is right to spend that money.
“To be responsible, we need to
ensure that Ontarians are supported
in our priority areas – health care,
education – bringing relief as well,”
Thompson said. “Spending has gone
up marginally because we realize
that people need relief after 15 years
of mismanagement and having
hands in their pockets every time
taxpayers were turning around, we
know people need relief.”
Among the highlights in the
spending, Thompson said that
billions of dollars of relief will be
coming to individuals, families and
businesses, including a new tax
credit to help parents pay for child
care or other youth activities like
summer camps, music lessons or
sports enrolment fees.
As far as Thompson’s education
portfolio is concerned, she says that
while there was a lot of smoke in the
days leading up to the budget
announcement, she feels the budget
proves there is no fire.
“I’m very pleased to say that [the
education budget] reflects the fact
that, again, I have committed to
listening to people and making sure
we have an education system that
works for parents, teachers,
students – everyone,” Thompson
said. “I would dare say that people
will find it hard-pressed to find fault
with it.
“There was a lot of fear mongering
leading up into the budget... I’m
pleased to say it, a lot of the fear
mongering was proven to be
absolutely false with the tabling of
our budget [on April 11].”
Thompson said that while the
focus has been on the fear of funding
cuts, the government is actually
increasing its spending in education
by $700 billion for the fiscal year
and investing in schools both new
and existing. She said the
government is dedicating $1.4
billion in both 2019 and 2020 to help
fix schools.
In the days since the budget has
been announced, many of the
province’s school boards have come
out with concerns about the budget.
Some of the boards have blamed the
government and its budget for layoffs
the boards have been forced to make
as this school year winds down.
While some boards have already
laid off teachers – over 50 teachers
in Guelph received layoff notices –
other boards fear further job losses.
The Hamilton-Wentworth District
School Board estimates it will lose
over 175 positions, while the
Kawartha Pine Ridge District School
Board estimates a further 55 job
losses. The Bluewater District
School Board, in Thompson’s riding,
fears it could lose as many as 50
teachers.
And while those are just a few of
the boards concerned with funding
cuts, Thompson says those job
losses have nothing to do with the
provincial government or its
funding.
“Every school board and every
teacher knows that on an annual
basis, school boards review their
rosters,” Thompson said. “They take
into consideration long-term leave,
who’s coming back from long-term
leave, who’s retiring, who’s going to
be redeployed and they see how
many people they need in their
various schools in their district and,
again, surplus notifications are not
new – they happen on an annual
basis and we can’t confuse one with
the other.”
However, the boards that fear
losing teachers have directly
connected those potential losses
with reductions in provincial
funding and changing program
delivery for areas like special
education and autism funding.
Thompson said she feels that
student achievement will connect
everything as far as the budget,
school boards, students and teachers
are concerned.
“Our number one priority, and I
think it’s the thread that ties it all
together, is student achievement,”
Thompson said. “We’ll be working
with our boards and they’ll see that
we’re walking our talk when we
announce our [Grants for Student
Needs] because we’re increasing our
spending in education.”
To view the budget in its entirety,
visit budget.ontario.ca.
William R Burkholder
With the Fire Department of
North Huron
In recognition from the
Governor General of Canada
For 40 years
Of loyal and exemplary service
to public safety in Canada
Received a second bar
To the Fire Services
Exemplary Service Medal
February 2019
*******
We are proud of your
dedication and service
To our community.
Love Brenda
Tina & Shane
Cal & Ruby
Shane & Theresa
Ethan & Owen & Jackson
Logan & Katelyn
Helping out
The Brussels Lions and the Brussels hall of the Huron East Fire Department hosted a joint-
fundraising breakfast over the weekend benefitting Christopher Pennington’s “Christopher’s
Crew” team in the annual Kidney Walk that raises money for the Kidney Foundation. Above,
firefighters-turned-waiters Chris Gibson and Melissa Jacklin pick up orders. (Mark Nonkes photo)
The Blyth Business Improvement
Area (BIA) has set its new executive
for the coming year, featuring an
entirely new slate of officers.
During the BIA’s April 3 meeting,
nominations for officers were
opened and the group struggled to
fill the four positions for the
executive, with several board
members declining office and the
secretary position remaining vacant.
In the end, David Sparling of
DEAMS Holding Inc. was
acclaimed to the chair position while
Shane Yerema, co-owner of the
Hotel Lux was acclaimed to Vice-
Chair and Rev. JoAnn Todd of
Trinity Anglican Church, who
represents the clergy in Blyth, has
been acclaimed to the treasurer
position.
Outgoing treasurer Deb Sholdice
said she would assist Todd with her
responsibilities.
Colleen Jordan, co-owner of the
Hotel Lux, also signed on as a non-
voting secretary for the organization,
allowing her to take meeting minutes
and maintain communication for the
organization, but as a non-voting
member, her position won’t give the
Hotel Lux extra representation at the
table.
Susan Alexander CFP CLU CHS
www.sholdicefinancial.com
PEAK Investment Services Inc.
April 24th
Watch for more seminars to come!
Kim Perrier FINANCIAL ADVISOR
Mutual funds are provided through PEAK Investment Services Inc.
All other products and services are provided through Sholdice Financial Services.
Investing for Success
Please join us for this
month’s seminar
7-8:30 pm. ~ Brussels Public Library Meeting Room
Please call Kim at 519-887-2662 or 519-887-9594 to reserve your space
Light refreshments provided
Sparling, Yerema leading BIA
Get breaking farm
news on the Rural
Voice
website at
www.ruralvoice.ca
By Denny Scott
The Citizen