By MPP Toby Barrett On the evening of Monday, October 15th Premier McGuinty announced the indefinite termination of Ontario parliamentary proceedings, committee hearings and a plethora of legislation. He then announced he was going to quit. In and of itself, a premier resigning – especially after nine years – is to be expected at some … Continue reading “When a premier packs it in, prorogues parliament”
Year: 2012
By MPP Toby Barrett as gotten itself into a difficult situation. Too many people have lost their jobs, our province has lost its leading position in the country, and government has lost its ability to balance its books. We face a critical choice. Either we implement sensible policies that create jobs and prosperity or we … Continue reading “What kind of tax break would you like to see?”
OPEN SKILLED TRADES TO CREATE JOBS Barrett, Skelly join Dunlop on ‘Skilled Trades Tour’
QUEEN’S PARK: Haldimand-Norfolk MPP Toby Barrett is pointing to the need for bold reforms to begin the journey to jobs, prosperity and growth – reforms like those that would open up skilled trades to create 200,000 new skilled trades jobs. “At a time when job creation efforts are urgently required, government and some union leaders … Continue reading “OPEN SKILLED TRADES TO CREATE JOBS Barrett, Skelly join Dunlop on ‘Skilled Trades Tour’”
By MPP Toby Barrett In the coming weeks, I look forward to joining the ‘Helping Ontarians Enter Skilled Trades Tour’ – designed to address the reality where we suffer from both high unemployment and a shortage of skilled workers. The work being done by those in the skilled trades – our electricians, welders, plumbers, carpenters … Continue reading “Open up our skilled trades to create more jobs”
For immediate release: Oct. 10, 2012 SIMCOE – Rural Ontarians are paying the price of provincial program cuts, according to MPP Toby Barrett. The latest example is the cancellation of stewardship co-ordinator positions across Ontario. Because of cutbacks, 45 stewardship co-ordinators will be replaced by 25 new partnership specialists. The changes will affect Haldimand and … Continue reading “Stewardship co-ordinator positions eliminated”
Barrett applauds ECO call, “to be smarter about where we place wind power facilities.”
For immediate release: October 5, 2012 Simcoe – Haldimand-Norfolk MPP Toby Barrett hopes government listens to its environmental commissioner regarding new thinking on placement of wind turbines. In the 2011/2012 annual report of the Environmental Commissioner of Ontario (ECO), titled Losing Our Touch, Gord Miller indicates, “we need to be smarter about where we place … Continue reading “Barrett applauds ECO call, “to be smarter about where we place wind power facilities.””
By MPP Toby Barrett Queens Park played host to long and raucous debate this past week as we learned taxpayers are stuck with a $640 million bill for government’s cancellation of the Oakville and Mississauga natural gas plants – saving the seats of two government members in the process. The cost of Mr. McGuinty’s politically-driven … Continue reading “Costs of contempt and energy mismanagement”
For immediate release: September 27, 2012 “…he saved two jobs here; my riding lost 400 jobs” – Toby Barrett QUEEN’S PARK – Haldimand-Norfolk MPP Toby Barrett has voiced his contempt for a government that has manipulated and mismanaged Ontario’s energy sector. While Ontario Legislative debate continued on decisions to cancel the Mississauga and Oakville … Continue reading “Barrett bitter about Nanticoke downsizing”
By MPP Toby Barrett Municipal representatives working to hold the line on spending and avoid deficit pitfalls are often held back by a broken provincial arbitration system. A Government of Ontario website defines “arbitration” as “a quasi-judicial process in which a disinterested third-party (an arbitrator or arbitration board) hears evidence presented by both the union … Continue reading “Fixing Ontario’s broken arbitration system”
By MPP Toby Barrett Health care is the most vital service for all Ontarians, but also the most costly. The problems patients have in accessing health care today are not because of lack of money or shortfalls of our medical professionals. Rather, the problems stem from the way our health care system is organized. In … Continue reading “A prescription for patient-centred health care”