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. Bill 163, An Act to amend Christopher’s Law, builds on the good work of the former PC government in 2000 to create … Continue reading “Christopher’s Law changes bolster Sex Offender Registry”
Category: Column Articles
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.” And five years earlier the Ontario Waste Management Association found that, … Continue reading “We have developed a landfill problem in Ontario”
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 … Continue reading “What we’ll do about Ontario’s have-not budget”
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 … Continue reading “A have-not budget for a have-not province”
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. The … Continue reading “There’s potential for our forest industry to recover”
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. From eco-fees, to failed electronics recycling, to the bait and switch … Continue reading “Waste diversion trail is littered with setbacks”
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 … Continue reading “Proposals for better municipal-provincial partnerships”
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. I hear it at the door, at my office, at the open houses in Jarvis, Fisherville, and Port Dover. … Continue reading “A wind of uncertainty blowing through area”
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, … Continue reading “February 28th is fifth anniversary of Caledonia”
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. Many testifying recognized that the government’s management … Continue reading “Taxes, fees – a growing threat to Ontario households”