What would we like for Christmas from Queens Park?

With only 19 shopping days left until Christmas, I am taking this opportunity to put together a little Christmas wish-list in case the Ontario Government is having trouble deciding what to leave under the Haldimand-Norfolk-Brant tree this festive season.

The top items on my list request our Ontario Government make good on promises to rural and farm Ontario – promises like:

Election promise #204 - “We will defend supply management”
This past week, dairy and egg farmers were at Queens Park lobbying MPPs on supply management. John Tory and the Opposition PC Caucus unequivocally support supply management. Supply management works on three pillars: import control, production discipline and producer pricing. As for the McGuinty Liberal promise, 31 MPPs oppose supply management -- they have not signed their support of FarmGate5, which is the umbrella organization working to protect supply management. This Christmas, I urge government members to put their divisions aside and keep their promise to farmers.

Promise # 210 – “We will guarantee a strong Ministry of Agriculture”
This Christmas, and in the New Year, I continue to advocate for this government to put some actual strength in a “strong” Ministry of Agriculture. We have seen three years of spending cuts in the annual budget and then an annual catch-up game of one-time funding announcements to address crises that arise from lack of government support in the first place.

Promise # 213 – “We will respond to the education needs of our rural communities”
While elected with the moniker of the “Education Premier”, the Premier’s track record has been spotty. First there came a school closure moratorium that had no teeth; it was a mere request that board’s not close the doors on current schools – a request that had no funding to support it, and was therefore doomed to failure.

And even more recently our local papers have reported that Grand Erie board trustees want “more local control and recognition of the challenges facing smaller schools.” Brantford trustee Jane Angus is quoted as stating that the current funding model “doesn’t give us any flexibility to deal with the unique peculiarities in Grand Erie.”

Promise # 220 – “We will invest in rural roads and bridges”
There is a need to have the entire stretch of Highway 3 east of Jarvis to Renton, and Highway 6 south of Jarvis to Port Dover, improved and resurfaced. Moreover, there is a need to have a corridor linking Haldimand County /Dunnville area to the Mid-Pen Corridor planned for construction between Fort Erie and the GTA. Thirdly, ongoing progress is required for the Highway 6 corridor from the Hamilton Airport Bypass to the Nanticoke Industrial Park – specifically the Hagersville bypass and the planned link from the Airport area to the Caledonia Bridge Bypass. This is not to mention the ongoing need for bridge improvements throughout our areas.

For a full list of the McGuinty election promises, please contact my office at: 519-428-0446 0r 1-800-903-8629

My wish-list would also include a request for leadership and communication – something that has been lacking - from Mr. McGuinty when it comes to the energy file, the Caledonia land dispute, and tobacco farmer compensation.

While there are many other items for my wish-list, I will wait to see what promises Premier McGuinty has in store for us under the Haldimand-Norfolk-Brant tree this Christmas season.