Transportation Minister caught flat-footed on Delhi licensing office

Queen’s Park – “I will have to get more information from you, because I actually don't have the answer around that particular office.”

That was the response Haldimand-Norfolk-Brant MPP Toby Barrett received from Transportation Minister Donna Cansfield yesterday when he asked what happened to the re-opening of the licence renewal office in Delhi.

“The people of Delhi want to know why they are now victims of show-and-sham politics,” Barrett asked. “After months of tendering, your ministry decided not to go forward with an MTO office. People in the area find it confusing. It's frustrating. They also find they're waiting in line for hours in other towns that have an MTO office.”

The Minister then went on to say that the Province has been looking at all offices and how service can be improved. Cansfield went on to say that the McGuinty Liberals are looking at how they can deal with the very small licensing offices because they do not service significant numbers.

Barrett impressed upon the Minister that many people from the community of Delhi paid $68 in application fees in response to the tendering ad run in area newspapers; only to be told that the MTO would not be reopening an office.

“Minister, at minimum, and once we sort through this confusion, will you ensure that the people of the Delhi area who tendered for this office at least get their 68 bucks back?” Barrett asked.

Minister Cansfield did not promise to reimburse the monies; however, she did offer to sit down with MPP Barrett to perhaps steer this issue back on track.

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For more information please contact MPP Toby Barrett at: 519-428-0446, 1-800-903-8629

October 19, 2006

MINISTRY OF TRANSPORTATION OFFICE

Mr. Toby Barrett (Haldimand-Norfolk-Brant): To the Minister of Transportation: Minister, your government promised many things to the tobacco community down in Delhi during the last election. Members of your caucus said they understand the plight of small rural areas like Delhi and promised that the economic hardships faced by such communities would be a priority for this government.

The people of Delhi want to know why they are now victims of show-and-sham politics. After months of tendering, your ministry decided not to go forward with an MTO office. Minister, what have you done with Delhi's MTO licence renewal bureau?

Hon. Donna H. Cansfield (Minister of Transportation): I will have to get more information from you, because I actually don't have the answer around that particular office. I can tell you that we've been looking at all of the offices across the province in terms of the delivery of service and working with them. As you recall, over the last eight years, the private networks have not had any increases. We've been looking at how we can deal with the very small ones because they don't have sufficient numbers that come through. We've had some requests where we thought maybe what we could do is have someone come into an area for a day as opposed to opening up an entire office. We've been looking at how we can improve delivery. And we have been working with Service Ontario, as that provision goes over to Service Ontario.

I would be prepared to sit down and speak directly with the member on this particular issue and work with him to find a resolution.

Mr. Barrett: Thank you, Minister, and it is confusing. People in the area find it confusing. It's frustrating. They also find they're waiting in line for hours in other towns that have an MTO office.

It's also appalling, the fact that your ministry ran ads asking people in the area to apply for the request for proposal. Several people in the Delhi area spent $53 on the application fee, $15 for the MERX fee, only to be told now that you're against reopening this MTO office. Minister, at minimum, and once we sort through this confusion, will you ensure that the people of the Delhi area who tendered for this office at least get their 68 bucks back?

Hon. Mrs. Cansfield: As I say to the member, I'd be more than happy to sit down with you and work through a resolution on this particular issue, and if you will wait till after the House rises, we'll have an opportunity to discuss it.