Lakeshore Advance, 2012-09-05, Page 1712 Lakeshore Advance • Wednesday, September 28, 2011
Heathcare remains an issue Valenta runs as an independent
CONTINUED FROM > PAGE 11
"Ontario's prosperity used to he
based on one energy system working
for the benefit of all Ontario and 1
want to see it brought back into the
public sphere," he says.
Robertson says healthcare
continues to be a big issue in I luron-
Bruce with a lot of residents in the
riding who still don't have a family
doctor. Ile says the NDP wants to
forgive the student debt of new
doctors who will commit to work in an
under -serviced rural area.
Ile says he's hearing a lot of concern
locally about keeping and maintaining
emergency departments in rural hospitals
and adds the NDP wants to eliminate the
Local Health Integration Networks
(l.} IINs) and reduce the six -figure salaries
of CEOs in the healthcare field, limiting
them to no more than double the salary
of the Premier of Ontario.
"We spend an incredible amount of
healthcare money on bureaucracy and
that (limit on CEO salaries) is more than
sufficient in my mind," he says.
Robertson says the NDP wants to
increase the number of long-term care
beds in Ontario by 20,000 to eliminate the
waiting list into long-term care facilities
and free up the more hospital beds for
the patients who need them. He adds that
creating more long-term care beds will
end up creating more construction Jobs.
Robertson says he is one of the
original voices supporting risk
management for farmers, an issue he
says cannot be claimed by any one
political party since it was created by a
grassroots movement among Ontario
farmers.
"Anyone who claims that one party is
responsible for risk management is
false," he says.
Robertson says the NDP wants to
examine spending at the Ontario
Ministry of Agriculture and Food and
determine how much is actually getting
to the farmers.
"We want to create a strategic plan for
agriculture in Ontario with benchmarks
for the next five to 20 years. Agriculture
is the number one industry in Ontario
surpassing the auto industry and yet
there are no longterm plans and very
little attention paid to it," he says, adding
he's concerned that no one knows
where the next generation of farmers
will be coming from.
"Fifty-three is the average age of the
Ontario farmer and that number is
going up - that's the demographic cliff
we're driving over head-on," he says,
adding that "so many" jobs depend on a
healthy agricultural industry.
Grant Robertson and his wife Sarah
Slater have three children. He is a library
supervisor in Lucknow and Ripley and
lives on a chicken and beef farm near
Paisley.
Cheryl Heath
SMI Agency
Dennis Valenta does not mint
re'pre'senting the protest vote.
The Clinton -based truck
driver and businessman, who
has been a familiar face in both
provincial and
federal
campaigns
since 2006,
says he opted
to again fill out
nomination
forms for the
2011 provincial
campaign
because he
believes the electorate is fed up
and is seeking something
different at Queen's Park.
"People are tired of party
politics," says Valenta. "You
listen to party leaders and they
tell people what they want to
hear. I want to work for the
people of the riding"
Valenta, who sought the
Progressive Conservative
nomination in 2006 but was
rebuffed, says that process left a
sour taste in his mouth. The
party's rejection of his
nomination form has led to his
ongoing commitment to offer
Dennis Valenta
voters it choice on Election
Day.
"The party wants to run
candidates who can be led. They
have party whips. The party
wants lunar it wants not What
the people want," says Valenta.
As always, Valenta is
dedicating his campaign to
family law reform, which he
says is necessary to give father's
a stronger voice with regard to
custody and other issues when
marriages break down.
But, he says, there are many
other issues that have garnered
his attention in this go round,
particularly where it comes to
the liberal Party's controversial
Green Energy Act.
"They (the provincial
government) don't ask, they Just
do," says Valenta. "Decisions
about wind and solar projects
should be decided at the local
level. If the local community is
OK with a wind turbine, they
should have a wind turbine."
Valenta says spiralling tax
rates, energy costs and the
Landlord Tenant Act are other
concerns. And, he says, there is
a different feeling at all
candidates' debates this time
around and voter frustration is
palpable.
"I'm not ready to give up my
crusade. l'nl a long way from
winning, probably, but 1 have
noticed more people are
approaching rile after the
debate," says Valenta. "I think I
have some good ideas and ' )t
-1
think some people are starti►.
to realize that I want to see
government accountability. 1 am
tired of being bought off with
my own money."
And, he says, the liberal
candidates keep talking about
its government investments in
Ontario "hut it all conies from
one pocket. If we don't want
something, we shouldn't have to
have it."
'1'o learn more about the father
of four, call (519) 606-5043 or
visit the web site, www.
theeactivist.conl or e-mail,
dljnkt'<i theeacttvist.com
Kline
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Serving Grand Bend and surrounding area
Carol Mitchell
Proven results for Huron Bruce
Healthcare:
Agriculture:
Energy:
Education:
7 new family Health Teams, 50 more doctors, more health professionals and funding
for hospital expansions
Strengthening supply management, providing a permanent risk management program,
and supporting local food initiatives
Long-term energy plan secures the future of Bruce Power including 4,000 full-time jobs and
3,000 construction jobs. Creating clean air for the future through wind and solar projects.
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improved test scores and graduation rates and Specialist High Skills Majors in all high schools.
Moving Forward Tgether. Our Platform
• 30% reduction in tuition for college & university students
• 15 % seniors home renovation tax credit to help seniors stay in their homes longer,
plus doctor's house calls and property tax increase deferrals for seniors
• 10 % off your electricity bills
• Increasing support for the agri-food businesses
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