2011 Column Archives
Ring out the old, ring in the new
By MPP Toby Barrett
As curtains close on 2011, there is much to reflect on that many will not soon forget.[ReadMore]
Parading toward Christmas in Haldimand-Norfolk
By MPP Toby Barrett
By the time this column goes to print, Santa and his nine tiny reindeer will have left the local parade circuit for the North Pole.[ReadMore]
Auditor General exposes folly of Green Energy Act
By MPP Toby Barrett
Ontario’s Auditor General has now verified that the McGuinty green energy dream has turned into a nightmare.[ReadMore]
Industrial wind turbines require local decisions
By MPP Toby Barrett
People from all corners of Ontario descended on Queens Park last week demanding local municipal decision-making power be reinstated with respect to industrial wind turbines.[ReadMore]
Another day older and deeper in debt - Merle Travis
By MPP Toby Barrett
One week into the new political landscape at Queens Park, and the direction of the McGuinty minority looks a lot like the same binge spending, debt-doubling path of the old McGuinty majority. Both government and people in Ontario are taking on ever-higher debt, looking for answers on the economic and job fronts that are not being delivered. [ReadMore]
“Anybody can lock up a school – get innovative”
By MPP Toby Barrett
“For rural kids, few things are more important than being able to go to school in your own community, with your own friends.Rural schools help keep communities strong, which is why we’re not only committed to keeping them open – but strengthening them.” – Premier Dalton McGuinty [ReadMore]
Outlaw the registry and focus on outlaws
By MPP Toby Barrett
For 17 years now, I have heard concerns about the ineffectiveness of the long gun registry and its targeting of law-abiding citizens. [ReadMore]
Veterans past and present – a cut above the rest
By MPP Toby Barrett
Last week’s newspaper column described the Greatest Generation – those who fought with honour and valour. [ReadMore]
We pay tribute to the Greatest Generation
By MPP Toby Barrett
The Greatest Generation is a term coined by journalist Tom Brokaw in reference to those who grew up during the Great Depression and went on to fight in World War II. [ReadMore]
Hydro - things you find out after the election
By MPP Toby Barrett
Two weeks after the last ballot was cast, we in Ontario learned of approvals for more electricity increases. [ReadMore]
Time to roll up our sleeves and deal with issues
By MPP Toby Barrett
Now that the election has reached the finish line, it's vital we don't lose the ideas generated at the doors, at debates, and at our local fairs. [ReadMore]
What can we expect from a minority government?
By MPP Toby Barrett
After finally seeing the end of three minority governments federally, it looks like people in Ontario are about to get a reminder of what minority leadership means provincially. [ReadMore]
It seems to be about paying the bills and taxes
By MPP Toby Barrett
My discussions over the summer with people across Haldimand and Norfolk seem to centre on pocket-book issues – paying the bills, taxes and even concerns about hanging on to one's home. People feel they cannot afford the additional HST on electricity and home heating fuel, and the debt retirement charge on their hydro bills. [ReadMore]
Ontario's wheel of tax again keeps on turning
By MPP Toby Barrett
As we head into a month of concern, issues and input across the province of Ontario, I remain concerned that rising costs will only continue if we repeat the missteps of the past. [ReadMore]
21st century requires 21st century education
By MPP Toby Barrett
As a former teacher and the son and grandson of teachers, I'm convinced of the opportunities created for citizens through education. [ReadMore]
Small businesses and farms drive our economy
By MPP Toby Barrett
Small businesses and farms form the backbone of our economy. They are the sources of not only jobs and opportunity, but also the innovation and risk-taking that comprise a strong, modern economy. [ReadMore]
Cut red tape for productivity and prosperity
By MPP Toby Barrett
Next to taxes, regulation is the predominant tool used by government to influence people's behaviour. And while no one will argue the value of regulation with respect to health or safety or our environment, a serious problem exists for Ontario's economy and prosperity because of overregulation.[ReadMore]
Ontario green jobs blowing in the wind?
By MPP Toby Barrett
Following recent weeks of wind powered photo-ops and measures to further entrench unaffordable wind and solar power contracts, it's clear government is refusing to listen. [ReadMore]
Let's improve municipal - provincial relationship
By MPP Toby Barrett
Municipal governments have a difficult job to do, balancing demand for services and the tax base. Given the challenges of recent years, local governments have had to make some tough decisions. [ReadMore]
Everyone deserves quality, reliable health care
By MPP Toby Barrett
Of all the services provided by the provincial level of government, health care consistently remains the number one priority for people in Ontario. Every family expects high quality health care to be there when they need it. [ReadMore]
Government transparency, accountability lacking
By MPP Toby Barrett
In the past week, Ontario Ombudsman André Marin has called on the McGuinty government to lift the veil of secrecy following his investigations revealing a lack of transparency and accountability. [ReadMore]
Families / governments must live within their means
By MPP Toby Barrett
For Ontario to lead again, we must make the decisions necessary to balance the budget in a responsible way. [ReadMore]
Our way of life is based on one law for all
By MPP Toby Barrett
While the Ontario government has focused on priorities like policing what kind of dog we can own or protecting the dandelions on our lawn – it has turned a blind eye to lawbreakers who take a free ride on the backs of law-abiding citizens. [ReadMore]
Now is the time for a renewed focus on farming
By MPP Toby Barrett
Strong farms are vital to a strong Haldimand-Norfolk and a strong Ontario. And a strong rural Ontario needs a healthy and sustainable agricultural sector – one that provides opportunities for the next generation of families to continue to earn a living from farming. [ReadMore]
New and increased taxes are taking their toll
By MPP Toby Barrett
Eight years ago I recall chatting with a gentleman in what was known as Alice's Restaurant – just north of Scotland – about the highlight of his day. Each afternoon he would order a pot of tea and a butter tart for $2. He described it as the one luxury he could afford – a treat under threat at the time by the meal tax proposed by the newly elected McGuinty government. [ReadMore]
The untold cost of wind and solar experiments
By MPP Toby Barrett
The wind tower debate has heated up in recent weeks – both in the media and at public meetings in Port Rowan, Port Dover and Hagersville. As well, Dalton McGuinty sent brochures to homes in Haldimand-Norfolk – and the ridings of Opposition Leader Tim Hudak, MPPs Hardeman, and Klees – suggesting we're green job killers. [ReadMore]
Scrap the HST on electricity and home heating!
By MPP Toby Barrett
Last week, I hosted a news conference in the Cayuga Village Green to announce a commitment to provide immediate relief for families, by removing the HST from home hydro and heating bills, and removing the 'debt retirement charge' on home hydro bills. [ReadMore]
Will disabilities law see light of day?
By MPP Toby Barrett
Last year I introduced disabilities legislation to provide incentives for people on support to allow them to earn and then keep more of their own money. Bill 23 passed second reading and was referred to the Finance Committee – but a year later we continue to wait. [ReadMore]
Transparency key to a healthy tomorrow for Ontario
"Sunshine is the best disinfectant" – Lewis Brandeis
By MPP Toby Barrett
While most budget deliberations focus on spending plans, our Finance Committee proceedings have been sidetracked recently by a two-line amendment government hoped to bury. [ReadMore]
Hydro users can't afford Samsung and costly FIT
By MPP Toby Barrett
With Ontario families already stretching to pay McGuinty's electricity increases on today's bills, they cannot afford hydro bills forecast to skyrocket 46 per cent annually over the next four years. [ReadMore]
New tobacco law will not eliminate contraband
By MPP Toby Barrett
Recently, I debated yet another tobacco bill in the Ontario Legislature. Bill 186 is titled Supporting Smoke-Free Ontario by Reducing Contraband Tobacco. Looking at the name of the bill, I question why the McGuinty government has chosen to merely "reduce" instead of "eliminate" illegal tobacco? [ReadMore]
A have-not budget for a have-not province
By MPP Toby Barrett
The man who turned Ontario into a have-not province has released a have-not budget.
And what's missing from Premier McGuinty 's 2011 provincial budget may very well cause grief for Ontario's hard-working families as promises of new spending often bring new taxes to balance the equation – and in Mr. McGuinty's Ontario, promises of no new taxes usually mean we can expect to soon be paying more. [ReadMore]
What we'll do about Ontario's have-not budget
By MPP Toby Barrett
As the Ontario Legislature debates the latest have-not budget it's increasingly clear that Premier McGuinty will not halt the high-spending, high-taxing and high-deficiting that has all of us paying for bigger government and smaller results. It's also clear that it will take a real change of direction – and concrete action - to dig out of this hole. [ReadMore]
We have developed a landfill problem in Ontario
By MPP Toby Barrett
Last year, Ontario's Auditor General found that one in five municipalities, "felt they had insufficient landfill capacity for their residential waste," adding that, "existing capacity will diminish more rapidly once export of residential waste to Michigan largely ends after 2010." [ReadMore]
Christopher's Law changes bolster Sex Offender Registry
By MPP Toby Barrett
Earlier this month, MPPs of all stripes got together to support legislation we could all agree on – strengthening provincial laws to protect people in Ontario from sex offenders. [ReadMore]
A wind of uncertainty blowing through area
By MPP Toby Barrett
The storm of uncertainty swirling about the McGuinty Green Energy policy grows more worrisome and divisive as residents become aware of the extensive list of projects slated to blow into our area.
Proposals for better municipal-provincial partnerships
By MPP Toby Barrett
All is not well with respect to provincial and municipal governance. Lack of accountability has driven up the size and cost of provincial government by a staggering 70 per cent over the past eight years. And 67 per cent of homeowners say they are unhappy with municipal taxes – a recent Leger poll found Ontario leads the nation in opposition to high property taxes.
Waste diversion trail is littered with setbacks
By MPP Toby Barrett
When it comes to landfills and waste management in this province, there is little doubt that this government continues to trip over itself to over-regulate, over-promise and under deliver – leaving all of us to pay for the clean up.
There's potential for our forest industry to recover
By MPP Toby Barrett
For generations, lumbering has been a primary driver of our economy. Although the forest industry is one of the major planks in Northern Ontario's economy, that doesn't mean it's not important in Southern Ontario. Here in Haldimand-Norfolk, there are four major saw mills and many working in logging and value-added.
Electricity experiments put rates through the roof
By MPP Toby Barrett
Electricity is arguably an essential responsibility of government. Virtually everything we do involves energy and electricity - without which, much of life as we know it and our economy grinds to a halt. [Read More]
Getting our money's worth by eliminating waste
By MPP Toby Barrett
There's really no good reason why government can't operate in a business-like manner – efficiently, effectively, and with a minimum of waste. [Read More]
February 28th is fifth anniversary of Caledonia
By MPP Toby Barrett
"There is nothing politically right which is morally wrong" - Daniel O'Connell 1775-1847
At the five year mark, militants continue to occupy and control the Douglas Creek Estates subdivision in Caledonia - a burnt out truck trailer and hydro barricade remain at the entrance - smoke shacks remain on government property, and power towers from Niagara have yet to be wired.
Taxes, fees – a growing threat to Ontario households
By MPP Toby Barrett
"IRS: We've got what it takes to take what you've got" - Anonymous
During the course of pre-budget hearings in London, Windsor, Thunder Bay, Timmins, Ottawa and Toronto, we on the Finance Committee heard from dozens of stakeholders and received hundreds of written submissions.
Farmers require stability and predictability
By MPP Toby Barrett
Mid-winter is the time for farm meetings as well as the Finance Committee’s annual pre-budget tour. What I’ve been hearing from various cash-crop, pork, beef, hort and general farm organizations is the ongoing need for a Business Risk Management Program. [Read More]
The bureaucratic death by a thousand paper cuts
By MPP Toby Barrett“
Do we need more common sense and fairness in our regulations? You bet we do.” - President Clinton, January 24, 1995 [Read More]
Shovel-ready or not, where are the stimulus jobs?
By MPP Toby Barrett
As I prepare to travel on another round of pre-budget deliberations with the Finance Committee, it is important to evaluate the stimulus, or ‘shovel-ready’, spending that has recently flowed. The most important measure of success, in my view, is job creation. [Read More]
A lot of us can’t afford our electricity bills anymore
There is a growing concern locally and across Ontario.
People are finding they just don’t have the extra money to pay for electricity. I hear it at my offices and I’ve heard it door to door as I canvassed hamlets across Norfolk and Haldimand.[Read More]
Jobs, taxes and energy concerns carry through 2010
By Toby Barrett MPP
The second half of 2010 commenced with a bang – the Canada Day parades in Caledonia and Port Dover are two of 20 that I participated in this past year.[Read More]