By MPP Toby Barrett There’s really no good reason why government can’t operate in a business-like manner – efficiently, effectively, and with a minimum of waste. One tactic would be to stop doing unnecessary things. By eliminating that which is obsolete, duplicative, or just plain silly, we can eliminate much of the waste of taxpayer’s … Continue reading “Getting our money’s worth by eliminating waste”
Category: Column Articles
By Toby Barrett MPP Electricity is arguably an essential responsibility of government. Virtually everything we do involves energy and electricity – without which, much of life as we know it and our economy grinds to a halt. That’s why it’s so critical when it comes to electricity for government to get it right, and – … Continue reading “Electricity experiments put rates through the roof”
By MPP Toby Barrett Mid-winter is the time for farm meetings as well as the Finance Committee’s annual pre-budget tour. What I’ve been hearing from various cash-crop, pork, beef, hort and general farm organizations is the ongoing need for a Business Risk Management Program. A solution is needed now and in the future. The current … Continue reading “Farmers require stability and predictability”
By MPP Toby Barrett “Do we need more common sense and fairness in our regulations? You bet we do.” – President Clinton, January 24, 1995 Unnecessary rules and r ed tape kill jobs. It’s that simple. The original ‘red tape’ – used to tie bundles of legal papers in 17th century England – at least … Continue reading “The bureaucratic death by a thousand paper cuts”
By MPP Toby Barrett As I prepare to travel on another round of pre-budget deliberations with the Finance Committee, it is important to evaluate the stimulus, or ‘shovel-ready’, spending that has recently flowed. The most important measure of success, in my view, is job creation. It was the 2009 budget that saw McGuinty announce more … Continue reading “Shovel-ready or not, where are the stimulus jobs?”
By MPP Toby Barrett There is a growing concern locally and across Ontario. People are finding they just don’t have the extra money to pay for electricity. I hear it at my offices and I’ve heard it door to door as I canvassed hamlets across Norfolk and Haldimand. And the dawning of a new year … Continue reading “A lot of us can’t afford our electricity bills anymore”
By MPP Toby Barrett The second half of 2010 commenced with a bang – the Canada Day parades in Caledonia and Port Dover are two of 20 that I participated in this past year. But also on July 1 people began seeing the eco-tax on thousands of items. And this on the heels of the … Continue reading “Jobs, taxes and energy concerns carry through 2010”
As we begin, with apprehension and expectation, to ponder the year ahead, we may wish to reflect on the year just past. 2010 kicked off with 35,000 Ontario kids to be enrolled in all-day everyday kindergarten. The Grand Erie District School Board approved nine of its schools while the Brant Haldimand Norfolk Catholic District School … Continue reading “Last year commenced with concerns about jobs and taxation”
“It’s Christmas time There’s no need to be afraid…” ~ Band Aid’s “Do They Know It’s Christmas?” By Toby Barrett MPP Like many in our area, I find myself meeting people who have just returned from Kandahar. Their stories are real and raw. I spent time in Afghanistan in 1969 and it was a bit … Continue reading “Christmas will see an empty chair at many tables”
By MPP Toby Barrett The only inquiry into the mayhem that occurred in Caledonia has not come from government. It has come from journalist Christie Blatchford’s investigative piece: HELPLESS, Caledonia’s Nightmare of Fear and Anarchy, and How the Law Failed All of Us. Christie Blatchford is real – she’s tough – and as anyone who … Continue reading “Have you read Christie Blatchford’s book on Caledonia?”