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HomeMy WebLinkAboutLakeshore Advance, 2013-03-20, Page 44 Lakeshore Advance • Wednesda , March 20, 2013 opinion • www.lakeshoreadvance.com elui Aulvanco PUBLISHED WEEKLY P.O.BOX 1195 58 Ontario St., North Grand Bend ON NOM 1TO phone: 519-238-5383 fax: 519-238-5131 email: Iakeshore.advanceesunmedla.ca SUN MEDIA A Quebecor Media Company CJ NEIL CLIFFORD Publisher/Advertising Manager nell.dlffordOsunmedia.ca LYNDA HILLMAN-RAPLEY Editor Lakeshore.advancedsunmedia.ca MARK STEPHEN Advertising Sales mark.stephen@sunmedia.ca JULIE HARRISON Typesetting/Classifieds lakeshore.ads©sunmedia.ca • www.lakeshoreadvance.com SUBSCRIPTION RATES ADVANCE: Regular $42.00 (40.00+2.00 GS1) OnIlne M1bscrlptions available --same rates Publications Mail Agreement No. 40064683 RETURN UNDELNERABLE CANADIAN ADDRESSES TO L.AKESHORE ADVANCE CIRCULATION DEPARTMENT P.O.Box 1195 58 Ontario St. North Grand Bend ON NOM 1TO For any non-delNeries or delivery concerns: phone: 519-238-5383 e-mail: lakeshore.advancerasunmedia ca Changes of address, orders tor subscriptions, and undeliverable copies (return postage guaranteed) are to be sent to LakeshonrAdvance at the address indicated here. Advertising is accepted on the condition that In the event of a typographical error, the portion of the advertising space occupied by the erroneous item together with a reasonable allowance for signature, will not be charged for, but the balance of the advertise- ment will be paid at the applicable rates. We acknowledge the financial support of the ( ;nvernnu'nt of Canada through die Canadian I'r'r Italica! Fund (l:I'F) fol nit huhti.hinµ ar'tivitlr. Canada. Aocrta Meniba of Ica C n Bran Community Newspawn MaicN1tion and the Ontario Community Newspapers Asax,it editorial Love thy neighbour What better way to celebrate Queen Victoria's birthday or the current reigning Canadian sovereign's official birthday or the beginning of the summer season in Canada by taking in the first Canada Appreciation 1)ay in the USA? Last week, businesses and staff from the Economic Development Alliance (EDA) of St. (:lair County announced they want to say thanks to illi important driver of their economy- shoppers from Canada. They decided on May 20th -Victo- ria Day for that first appreciation day because it is a Canadian holiday with no US equivalent. It will be like a Black Friday -in May -for Canadians. The relationship they say creates thousands of job and millions of dollar's ill investment across many industries. They plan to put $30,000 into a budget to use for print, radio and billboard advertising. And what do Canadians think about this bold move? One blogger said when he can get bread for 89 cents a loaf and gas cheaper in his own country- he will shop here. 'this EI)A group have a monkey survey set up where businesses could weigh in with specials they can offer and dollars they can spend on advertising. What do you think? letters to the editor Ross McKitrick: "wind energy projects are not in the public interest" Dear Editor, letter to the Ontario Energy Board: 1 and regularly contacted by members of the public who live in rural areas of Ontario under threat from the invasion of massive industrial -scale wind turbine installations. I am highly sympathetic to the plight of rural folks as they contem- plate lost property Values, increased stress and nuisance, destruction of scen- ery, and community divisions under this policy -induced menace. Making matters worse, the economics for the province as a whole are disastrous and the environ- mental benefits are mythical. From every angle the Ontario Green Energy Act looks like a calamity, except to the rent -seekers who are profiting from the Feed -in -Tariff program at the expense of their neigh- bours and fellow citizens. In response to a request from a courageous community group trying to prevent the ruin of their township, i wrote a letter to the Ontario Energy Board to apprise the panelists of some of the realities of the situation, as they decide whether or not to approve a proposed wind energy project. 'the Ol?11 is constrained only to look at two aspects of such projects when they make' their decision. My letter points out that if they actually follow the instructions they have been given, they will realize that wind energy projects are not in the public interest. In sum, promotion of renewable energy through the approval of new wind tur- bine installations is inconsistent with the stated policies of the Government of Ontario, since it will likely result in higher greenhouse gas and criterion air contam- inant emissions, and will impair eco- nomic growth and job creation. As pointed out by the Auditor -General, the provincial government did not undertake any comprehensive analysis prior to adoption of its renewable energy strategy 10 examine these issues, and conse- quently has no basis on which to claim that further expansion of Wind energy is an effective means to achieve its stated policy goals. Ross McKitrick 4/111 recycle fa; this paper LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Lakeshore Advance ‘velcnines letters to the editor. Letters must include the writer's full name, address, daytime phone nunlbei and signature (for verification. Anonymous letters will not be published. We reserve the r iglt Io edit all editorial submissions including; letters for clarification, style and length. 1 ettelHurst be signed and be in good taste and follow the Laws of libel an(1 slander. letters to the editor Time for rates to go down Dear 1:dito►, Well 1 opened up my latest car insurance hill recently and was struck at how much i have to pay out for half a year's coverage for only little car. Multiply that by two and the bill per year conies to almost $2,500 per year! Now 1 am a retiree, with a good driving record, and no kids using the car anymore. We've done the company by company searches to get the best deal we can in the province on auto insurance. We operate modest vehicles. Fortunately our children all benefitted from the good student dis- counts, so we have historically had good savings, at least according to the insurance bills, every billing period. But we are paying a lot more in car insurance than relatives in the States or in other provinces of Canada. Tough economic tinges are hitting family budgets hard. households are squeezed more than ever, and everyone agrees that drivers are paying too much in car insurance. In 2010, the liberal government brought in reforms that dramatically reduced bene- fits for drivers. Industry reports show that statutory benefits paid to accident victims dropped by half. Changes in deductibles mean that many incidents are not reported. My son is currently driving a car with a dent in the fender. Someone ran into his car while it was parked in a university lot. i le doesn't want his car insurance bills to go up, and he can't afford the first $500 he needs to pay. 'There are lots of similar stories out there. And then there are the increasing number of tales about uninsured drivers getting behind the wheel. Scary stuff! Last summer a legislative review of Ontario's auto insurance system showed that 2010 changes resulted in $2billion in savings each year to the car insurance industry. So why haven't car insurance rates gone down? Why have they actually increased by 5`x1? Isn't it tinge to pass those savings onto drivers? Auto insurance is it product drivers are, legally required to buy. They are stuck between a rock and a hard place. Young responsible drivers and parents of young families are being really hard hit by these exorbitant rate's. Never mind young people starting out in businesses 11181 require a vehicle - entrepreneurs such as 1Iadesper- sons and truckers. I know of some people who work across the border sufficiently that they purchase their vehicles, licence then) ,and insure then) down there rather than in province. 'I hat's why the province has a responsibi1 ity to ensure the public is protected. ()mad ans are paying the highest premiums in the country for some of the lowest coverage. Ibis is unfair 10 driver~, and it shouldn't hr acceptable 10 the government. Inc government inlet \ rued to Iu vt't cost. CONTINUED > NEXT PAGE