Clinton News Record, 2016-04-20, Page 5Wednesday, April 20, 2016 • News Record 5
www.clintonnewsrecord.com
Jackie Riggs
Howick Mutual continues to meet their pledge to the Wingham Hospital Campaign. Campaign Leader Jenny Hogervorst (far left) accepts
the donation from the Howick Mutual team made up of board members and employees.
$50,000 donation to Wingham Hospital
Our Hospital, Our Future Campaign
Howick Mutual Insurance continues
to support local healthcare
Special to the
Clinton News Record
Howick Mutual Insurance
Company has pledged to
donate $50,000 to the Wmgham
& District Hospital Founda-
tion's "Our Hospital, Our Future
Campaign". This donation is
one more in a long line of con-
tributions to the Wingham &
District Hospital. Howick
Mutual is a long-time supporter
of the CKNXHealthcare Heroes
Radiothon, a regular corporate
sponsor of the Wingham &
Area Healthcare Professionals
Recruitment Committee and
has been the lead sponsor of
the Wmgham & District Hospi-
tal Foundation's Great Race
fundraiser since 2013.
CEO Kevin Inglis says it is
important for the company to
give back to the community on
behalf of their policyholders
because "our policyholders are
the same people we share the
community with; we all go to
the same churches, schools,
play on the same sports teams,
and certainly go to the same
hospitals"
The Board of Howick
Mutual Insurance Company
presented their two year
$50,000 pledge to the cam-
paign team at the Wmgham &
District Hospital on Tuesday,
April 12. Campaign team
leader Jenny Hogervorst said,
"We are really lucky to have
such a generous company in
our community that is so ded-
icated to healthcare
The "Our Hospital, Our
Future Campaign" is a $4 mil-
lion capital fundraising cam-
paign supporting the expan-
sion of essential healthcare
infrastructure at the Wmgham
& District Hospital, including
the expansion of the only
chemotherapy clinic in Huron
and Bruce Counties, the crea-
tion of a healthcare campus
with a focus on providing pri-
mary care to the aging popu-
lation and upgrading vital
medical equipment. The suc-
cess of this project will ensure
high quality healthcare con-
tinues to be available to all
30,000 residents of the Hospi-
tal's surrounding communi-
ties. As of the beginning of
April, the campaign team has
received pledges totaling 47.5
percent of the campaign
goal. More information can be
found at www.wdhfounda-
tion.ca.
New Online Resource for Youth in Perth and Huron
Connect Youth
ff launched by United
Way Perth -Huron
Special to the
Clinton News Record
A brand new website has
landed in Perth and Huron
Counties with the purpose of
keeping local resources on
hand for local youth.
Historically published and
printed as the Little Black
Book, a palm sized resource
written in the language of
youth, a group of local organi-
zations planned an updated
version that brings technical
appeal and functionality
"Technology is in the hands
of our youth daily, so it just
made sense to bring the
resource to an online plat-
form, explains Ryan Erb,
Executive Director of United
Way Perth -Huron. "The web-
site itself is connected to the
211 database, which is
updated by United Way Perth -
Huron at least once a year, so
the resource will be continu-
ally updated, ensuring its via-
bility into the future"
The resource develop-
ment was sponsored by the
Rotary Club of Stratford,
the Rotary Club of Mitchell,
United Way of Perth -Huron
and Conceptual Pathways.
George Kleopa, CEO of
Conceptual Pathways com-
mented, "Designed as a
responsive website, the
resource works across all
platforms; tablets, smart
phones and computers."
"A Connect Youth Ambassa-
dor toolkit is available for stu-
dent representatives to help
spread the word of this new
resource through school
announcements, newsletters
and social media'; shared Susan
Faber, Director of Community
Information at United Way. "If
students or anyone else are
interested in receiving the
toolkit, there is a link on the
website, or they can call United
Way at 519-271-7730.
The website can be found
at connectyouthperthhuron.ca.
letters to the editor
Government shoe dropping
To the Editor,
A few weeks ago I wrote
about the second class
(maybe now 3rd class) sta-
tus afforded to rural
Ontario. The government
had just released new con-
tract approvals for wind
development in communi-
ties that had voted
resoundingly against it,
while mouthing the words
"they would not force these
upon communities that
didn't want them': It was
particularly outrageous
given the fact we are
already over committed
with long term electricity
contracts.
I don't want to overuse
opinion space but I want to
point out how many shoes
(stinky ones) have dropped
since that letter. It explains
much about what's going
on. First the Toronto Star
broke from its usual "make
nice to the Liberals" policy
and stated their ministers
had party fundraising quo-
tas to be achieved by ped-
dling influence to those
who might profit.
I think the stench from the
too frequent $6000/plate
dinners was a bit much for
even the Star to ignore. Any-
one who has watched this
government was aware of
favours returned. The long
list of financial scandals over
the years from E -Health to
ORNGE to the gas plants
and now the Green Energy
Act can't possibly be attrib-
uted to that much incompe-
tence. The Liberals head
into every election with a
massive war chest for real
reasons, if not savoury ones.
Second revelation was
last week's PC Party press
release showing the latest
Green Energy approvals
with seven corporations
receiving lucrative con-
tracts after contributing a
combined $255,000 to the
Liberal Party. Two appli-
cants that made $0 contri-
bution and received 0 con-
tract offers. Looks bad,
smells familiar.
The third revelation
came out when it was
revealed that the wind pro-
ject forced upon Dutton/
Dunwich (despite having
already voted 84% against
it) occurred because the
developer had partnered
with aboriginal bands in
northern Ontario to get
"the points" it needed for
approval.
The three native groups
that lived in the area were
not supportive of the wind
development. Southern
Ontario native bands have
often been at the front of
wind development protests
probably due to the wild-
life and habitat destruction
often seen. So the Chicago
based corporation
shopped around till it
found opportunistic native
partners with the federal
money these bands can
access. The fact that these
groups were 1000's of miles
to the north of those who
have to live with the pro-
ject and that the real (non-
native) residents are
offered no partnerships, or
funding, was irrelevant
apparently. Welcome to
our new "class based"
energy policy.
The fourth bit of crazi-
ness the Liberal govern-
ment announced itself.
While electricity demand
drops and costly exports
grow, next year's round of
wind contracts will actually
be doubled. Woohoo! I
guess when you see how
much revenue can be gen-
erated for the party while
the electricity costs are
downloaded to ratepayers,
why give up a good thing?
Anyone who opposes this
can now just be called,
NIMBY racist climate
deniers, by Liberal leader-
ship that attends the Mach-
iavelli School of Fine
Government.
Any wonder why elec-
tricity rate increases were
just announced yester-
day....for the third time
since November? Any won-
der why while Ontario
electricity rates shot from
the lowest to the highest in
North America and why
imported natural gas is
now so popular here? Any
wonder why Ontario has
accumulated a $300 billion
debt for our children while
selling off the public assets
paid for by our parents?
Sincerely,
Robert Budd