Constituent Service Is Job One For Us

I am elected by people locally, and my first priority will always be to speak on behalf of local people.

Over the past 11-and-a-half years I have laid down deep and personal roots across Oxford, Brant, Haldimand and Norfolk, and I have done my utmost to listen to and assist constituents – the people that send me to Queen’s Park.
While I am at outside meetings, whether they be in Burford, Caledonia, Courtland or at Queen’s Park, it’s impossible for me to answer every question that may present itself to my offices in Toronto and Simcoe. For that reason I have a wonderful complement of staff who work hard for our area.

We receive about 75 calls and roughly 100 emails each day. Most need help wading through bureaucratic problems; others require explanation of proposed or existing legislation. When constituents feel they have been treated unfairly they look to my office to gain a better understanding and, often, to ask us to defend their interests.

Over the years I have been fortunate to have staff who possess excellent mediation skills and can often help resolve misunderstandings; however, you must keep in mind my employees are restrained by the law and associated rules and regulations.

The bulk of our calls pertain to obtaining a birth certificate, concerns with Ontario Works and the Family Responsibility Office (FRO). Over the past few years, the number of calls on these three subjects has sky-rocketed.

The current government made security changes to the birth certificate process, and in turn, created a backlog in the system.

Anyone who has had dealings with FRO will know the program is far from perfect. When I knock on doors I am often greeted by single moms or dads who have contacted my office with regard to support payments and have received help obtaining their on-going, or payment of arrears.

It is disheartening to get calls from folks who are behind in their utility bills and cannot afford to pay them. We usually recommend to call the utility company to propose a payment arrangement, as staff are not in the position to make decisions on someone’s account.

Further, given the current state of the health care system and Dalton McGuinty’s inability to deal with wait times, my office consistently receives phone calls from folks who assume that a call to the MPP’s office can move them to the top of the priority list -- this is not true.

In the main foyer of my office there are a number of brochures, forms and applications – some of the most asked for include: Power of Attorney kits, birth certificate applications, and Trillium Drug Program information/applications.

One of the most rewarding services my office provides is the distribution of congratulatory scrolls for birthdays, anniversaries and special occasions. I have been told by recipients that they truly appreciated being recognized by the Province of Ontario.

I hope I have given you a bird’s eye view of what happens at our offices. It’s busy, so if at any time you call and are asked to leave a message on the answering machine, it means staff are working hard for constituents on the other lines, or at the front counter, and they will return your call at the earliest convenience.

Don’t hesitate to call.