HomeMy WebLinkAboutZurich Citizens News, 1976-02-11, Page 5In June, 1972, the Camp Com-
mission on the Legislature was
appointed, to study the function
of the Legislative Assembly
with a view to making recom-
mendations, with particular ref-
erence to the role of the Private
• Members, and how their particip-
ation in the process of govern-
ment may be enlarged, including
services, facilities and benefits
provided to the Members of the
Assembly.
As a result of a recommend-
ation by the Camp Commission
more secretarial and support
services are available at Queen's
Park, and as of February 1,
1976, local "Constituency Off-
ices" will be established and paid
for by the Legislative Assembly.
These offices should help Memb-
ers to, deal with the problems
of their constituents with the
minimum of delay, and also pro-
vide a location where the Member
is easily accessible to those he
represents, when he is in the
home riding.
As of February 16, I will be
opening a constituency office in
the Devon Building on the Main
Street of Exeter. A secretary will
be on duty from Monday to Fri-
day from 1 to 5 p.m. to take calls.
Such calls will be relayed to my
office in Toronto so that I may
look into the enquiries almost
instantaneously. The constit-
uency office will help me give
better service to the people of
Huron -Middlesex. All calls would
be welcome and appointments
could be made to see me in by
constituency office on Fridays
from 4 to 8 p.m. This will allow
me time to get back to the const-
ituency office from Toronto after
the adjournment of the House
at 1 p.m.
The Constituency Office Tele-
phone Number is 235-0170 and a
Zenith line number 64240
will be in operation from Goder-
ich, Clinton, Ailsa Craig, Bay-
field, Grand Bend, Granton,
Kerwood, Nairn, Parkhill, Sea -
forth and Zurich to my office in
Exeter, Devon Building, 476
Main Street.
I would like to stress the fact
that constituents are more apt to
get an answer by phoning the
constituency office rather than
Jottings by Jack ® from Queen's Park
Office to open i
my home as there is no-one home
during the day. While the House
is in session, I spend most of
the week in Toronto,
I would now like to give you a
brief idea of how I can assist
you and outline my role as your
representative at Queen's
Park and Member of the Oppos-
ition Party.
Constituency problems with
which MPPs are asked to assist
have increased in accordance
with the complexity of govern-
ment and public awareness of the
extent to which elected officials
are in a position to act as liaison
agents between the people and
officialdom. Members help const-
ituents unravel •'
v
el thet•o
verbs 1
p a
red tape with respect to . every-
thing from birth certificates to
Old Age Pension payments;
Workmen's Compensation; Fam-
ily Benefits; OHIP coverage -
virtually anything involving the
Provincial Government. In addit-
ion, people seldom differentiate
between the Provincial and Fed-
eral spheres when they are in
need of help, and we find our=
sel ves dealing with Unemploy-
ment Insurance, Inunigration
problems, etc. in co-operation
with our federal counterparts in
Ottawa.
In addition, Members spend
considerable time making repres-
entations to the various Min-
istries and Ministers of the Gov-
ernment about platters of local
importance in the home riding -
highways, hospitals, sub -divis-
ions, schools, recreational fac-
ilities, environmental problems
and so on.
As the Camp Commission
points out, "it is . difficult -
almost impossible to draw a line
between the role of the constit-
uency representative and region-
al spokesman and legislator and
committee man and the Member
as partisan," and if "spokesman
in some cases seems too strong a
term, he is certainly a listener
and a reporter or conduit in all
these situations." Of course, to
be an Opposition Member does
not mean that one automatic-
ally opposes government propos-
ed legislation. Nevertheless,
while in the Legislature the Gov-
ernment seeks to exploit its
achievements, defending its
policies and administration, it
is the Opposition's responsibil-
ity to put forward constructive
criticism, probing and investig-
ating Government proposals,
and putting forward alternatives.
Native of Hensall
f
passes at F z i n sor
Lillian Irene MacKay passed
away January 31, 1976 at Wind-
sor. Beloved sister of Louis
MacKay, Berkley, California,
Marion Thompson, Toronto and
the late Mrs. Barbara Ellen
WMS plan for
Day of Pryer
The February meeting of the
WMS of Carmel Presbyterian
Church was held on Tuesday
February 3rd with Mrs. Harvey
Hyde presiding and opened the
meeting with a meditation,
"Lift My Eyes to Far Horizons".
Mrs. Clarence Volland was in
charge of the Devotional assisted
by several members taking part.
Mrs. Hyde read a newspaper
clipping on "Projects of the
Board of World Missions for
1976".
The World Day of Prayer will
be held in St. Paul's Anglican
Church on March 5, at 2;30 p.m.
The next WMS meeting will be
held on March 1, at 2 p.m. with
Mrs. Ruby Hoggarth in charge.
The Ladies' meeting was held'
with Mrs. Clarence Volland
presiding. Several items of
business were discussed,
Shepherd, Hensall, and Dr.
Russe -11 MacKay, Hagersville.
A native of Hensall, she taught
school at SS #10 Hay, and at
Cameron Ave. School and Harry
E. Guppy School, Windsor.
She was also an honorary
member of Beta Chapter, Delta
Kappa Gamma Sorority and a
member of St. Andrew's Presby-
terian Church. Of late years she
was a resident of Alexander Hall.
Funeral and comittal service
was at the Walter Kelly Funeral
Home. Interment in Hensall
Union Cemetery. Mrs. Jack
Consitt attended the funeral of
her aunt on Tuesday.
Personals
Mrs. Harold Parker returned
home after spending a few days
with her son-in-law and daughter
Mr.
& Mrs. Don Dalton and new
grand -daughter Carla Ann in
Seaforth.
Mr. & Mrs. Ross MacMillan,
David, Tom and Ann of Waterloo
spent Saturday evening with Mrs.
MacMillan's mother Mrs. Laird
Mickle and Charles Mickle of
Hamilton spent the weekend.
They all were guests including
Mrs. Florence Joynt at a dinner
on Saturday evening.
Opposition Parties appoint
Members to criticize the specific
Ministries of 6overnmcnt - some-
times called a "Shadow Cabinet"
-and the function of these Oppos-
ition Critics is to prepare and
express a continuing critique
of the Government at every opp-
ortunity, especially in the Leg-
islature, directly to the various
Ministries and through the med-
ia. This is not merely. a matter
of party politics or, gamesman-
ship; it is a .direct 'responsibil-
ity, for a government is freq-
uently only as responsible and
responsive as its Opposition
forces it to be.
Citizens News, February 11 /76 - Page 5
Exeter
Over the years, Standing and
Select Committees of the Legis-
lature have handled 'an increas-
ing amount of legislative work,
and MPPs spend many hours
serving on these Committees.
Standing Committees relate very
closely to the day-to-day work of
the Legislature, while Select
Committees are appointed to
investigate and study specific
subjects, such as the • Utilizat-
ion of Educational Facilities,
Company Law, Consumer Cred-
it, etc. At this time a Select
Committee is enquiring into
Hydro's proposed bulk power
rates.
yl• "xrr.r::: ;Sr',{rf}: ;;?dc��:'t``:y;ti?•;?:rc';�::: :::4.}r:,.:.:::•�'<;r;.vJ' <:�:f%int '�+r� '�v�f
c}{ r.:•} ,�.,a�:y�; +.: r,.`v,:.:::x �:::.}.; vl; t�''r'Sr: i �;::.•..; r:+r'?/,r.`f'•Sif...: ,1:3• ., • fc??'�',,r�'`,:,'::. ..{
M:$:r'c?4�::'i..: :. }, :. },%h•''rS: .r.f ..:r�.: :.}, .. k.##r r
fs'�'.r.....,rrut... £..:x't �•>};i•,,::'t:`:ti:��%:�f:�•}kti:ti:.r:;,«::4G:•:/.t{'F,',�v�}.�if•}:�.5�:,r;+k.:}fwr�t:��'�:`•.:
•
The Camp Commission exp-
ressed the opinion that "major
steps are necessary in order to
free the Member for more time
and attention to be given to
legislative duties," and. "it
seems clear from views express-
ed on the executive side that
sessions are going to lengthen
rather than shorten - that there
will be more not less commit-
tee work." The implementation of
the various recommendations of
the Commission, including the
establishement of Constituency
Offices, are certainly a step in
the right direction.
.?:4?:::.•r.,:.:: •}a>.z }, r r,:}r,.,;•r,}:`' r:%k:i`•f}}'�:'r:r •sr:: :nit `;r},} •.:,
S�.} .. p;,,..::.•. � :.,r.•r:... f ....: rl:•rr,.,. � 3?:��:r:.....� . r r.: ;: <:•,r� : rrav:•:.::}rr `•rfC?,`'"?''�., ;.r
ytkfi:�,�{ X.r. r.l...».•'}x. rl..,;,d;,:i+,e:�.:.:: er...<.....5 ;•rk•:c}•�r�:;�^..:..::.;r,. �:.:,t`•::.,.,..�r::<%.e:;�:,:vr� :• s e .:e,
6,4
Make It Your
LUCKY DAY
.J.
BALLMACAULAY LTD.,
SEAFORTH CLINTON HEh1SALl.
527-0910 482-405 262-2418
•
o