HomeMy WebLinkAboutGoderich Signal Star, 2011-09-28, Page 19aria Signal -Star • wedNesd8YVSOPUr►nber aa, =J.
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d energy dominates audience
tion period at Holmesville debate
Brown
t+4�
c ' ntroversy over wind turbines
etre stage once the moderator
ctcepting questions from the
,t• at an all -candidates' debate
Holmesville last Thursday
luron County Federation of
lure hosted the debate that
'd wide-ranging questions
reulture and healthcare to
al uploading and the hot -but -
n energy issue.
pendent candidate Dennis
joined Progressive Conserva-
eful Lisa Thompson, Liberal
ent Carol Mitchell and New
ratio Party candidate. Grant
on as each argued heir stance
ral issues. Patrick Main of the
arty and Family Coalition can-
'>hristine Schnurr were unable
d.
energy was the first question
eters clearly wanted to hear
for of the seven questions
om the floor later on outlined
wind turbine grievances.
n Drennan, who lives in Ash-
iiorne-Wawanosh Township,
filed an Ontario Superior
challenge asking for the
1 of the gag clause that restricts
owners who sell their homes
developers from discussing
impacts they may have expe-
while living near a turbine.
wd erupted in applause and
'hen -Drennan asked the can
if .their parties would enact
icon making gag orders illegal
they pertain to health and
ssues that will directlyaffect
lac interest"
.n to respond first, 'Thompson
said a provincial Pt; govern-
ment would put a morato-
rium on. wind turbine devel-
opment until proper health,
environmental, and eco-
nomical studies were
completed.
"We're looking for the real
facts mapped out, and we'd
be overlooking the gag so
that we can fully understand
the true impact that this
top-down development has
on our rural communities,"
she said. •
Some audience members
jeered when Mitchell
argued she's in favour of
green energy, adding that
health and wellness was.
taken into consideration
before the 2009 Green
Energy Act came into effect.
"That's why we have the
toughest standards in all of
North America,," she said.
"There is no direct link that
the chief medical `officer of
health stated repeatedly.
There has been study after
study that documents that."
Robertson responded that
the NDP would overhaul the
whole system of "priva-
tied" industrial wind farms
in favour of smaller turbines
owned by the community.
He reminded the audience.
of recently released memos
by 1V1inistry of Environment
officials who wrote that the
40 decibel limit probably is
too lenient and couldn't be
sufficfentlyrneasured.
"'The Ministry of Environ-
ment
nviron.ment workers have clearly
stated that... they can't
determine whether those•
setting have been met," he
said, "and when something
like that is happening, that
means that people and
communities are getting
shoved to the side."
Independent candidate
Dennis Valenta said gag
orders are "just not right,"
and local communities - not
the provincial government
should determine what's
erected in their backyards.
Earlier in the evening,
with almost 200 people in
the crowd, each candidate
laid out their party's com-
mitment to agricultural sup-
ply management.
Mitchell said she sup-
ports it unequivocally as it
produces high-quality food
while committing, to market.
access for farmers.
"It really is a strong eco-
nomic enabler for rural
communities," she said.
Robertson, a longtime
chicken farmer, said the
NDP will continue to sup-
port supply management,
and called it "the best risk
management program we
have going," as it ensures
farmers make a living and
processors receive products
on time. Robertson also
appealed. to young farmers
entering the industry by sin-
gling out the need to help
them find the capital so they.
can become involved: in the
supply -managed system.
"Otherwise, we're going
to end up with a. lot of young
farmers who aren't there,"
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NDP candidate Grant Robertson, right, Liberal incumbent Carol Mitchell, PC candidate
Lisa Thompson and Independent candidate Dennis Valenta at a recent all -candidates'
debate in Holmesville.
he said.
Valenta said the government should
protect Canadians from "unfair for-
eign dumping of products," but further
than that, he believes in free
enterprise.
Thompson, who is general manager
of the Ontario Dairy Goat Co -Opera-
tive, said she works with young farm-
ers on a daily basis who want to grow.
While: she supports supply manage-
ment, more needs to be done to help
the industry grow its market access.
She said it's disappointing to see more
goat milk from Quebec than Ontario
in local grocery stores while Huron -
Bruce farmers produce the best qual-
ity goat products right here at home.
"If we can realize an expansion of
the marketing system, we're going to
bring the farmer closer to the con-
sumer, and ultimately, realize a better
return at the farm gate," she said.
On the issue of rural infrastructure
funding, Thompson said the PC plat-
form, dubbed Changebook, includes
$35 Killion for infrastructure, and crit-
icized the current government for its
farmer -centric plan.
"We have to support our number
one industry, but we also need to keep
our schools and our hospitals thriving,
and recognize how Important rural
schools are as an economic driver,"
she said,
The NDP, on the other hand, has a
three year $70 million plan, said Rob-
ertson, for rural infrastructure. Rob-
ertson echoed Thompson's concern
that many elementary schools in the
riding have closed, and argued that
hurts economic development.
"Schools are the first thing families
look for when they move into an area;
Robertson said, adding that without
them "we're going to have a very hard
time attracting young people and
attracting businesses to create jobs
here."
The NDP has a rural school stabili-
zation program included in its plat-
form to keep rural schools open, Rob-
ertson said.
Mitchell said the Liberals have
invested more in municipal infrastruc-
ture across Ontario thanany other
party since the 1960s. She said $75
million hasbeen invested in this rid-
ing's infrastructure since 2008.
"It is a significant commitment, and
a much needed commitment, that was
neglected for decades," she said,
Valenta used his two minutes to
argue that government is wasteful
and, as an independent MPP, he
would have the freedom to listen to
his constituents.
"All unnecessary bureaucrats are
going to be fired, and their wages are
going to go to infrastructure," he said
with applause from the audience.
During the open question period,
constituents also asked questions
about closing the Walkerton jail, gov
ernment spending, and how each can-
didate would work with the other par-
ties if their party leader didn't become
the next premier.
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