By MPP Toby Barrett It’s no secret that Haldimand-Norfolk is home to the largest coal-fired generating station in North America. And it’s no secret that Premier McGuinty has promised – many times over – to shut down coal-fired generation at Nanticoke as well as at her sister plants in Lambton, Thunder Bay and Atikokan. The … Continue reading “Will biomass and/or natural gas save OPG Nanticoke?”
Category: Column Articles
By MPP Toby Barrett It took seven months for US Steel’s Lake Erie Works at Nanticoke to end a bitter lockout. Area steelworkers are again locked out – this time at Hamilton’s Hilton Works. Rumours are, the lockout may permanently close Hilton’s blast furnace and end 100 years of steelmaking. For these reasons I recently … Continue reading “We’ve seen this steelworker movie before”
By MPP Toby Barrett This year’s Jarvis Symposium on Energy and Our Environment pulled together companies, unions, engineers, activists and others to discuss everything from wind, solar and coal generation to natural gas and nuclear – just about everything except hydro dam turbines, something that was discussed the week before at Port Dover’s Save Silver … Continue reading “Will energy plans change our area forever?”
By MPP Toby Barrett We are watching the further demise of food processing, and its contracts to area farmers, with the slated closure of Smucker’s Delhi tank farm and Dunnville processing plant. It is with some melancholy, as we recognize Remembrance Day, that we also recall seventy years ago, our area sent tons of locally … Continue reading “Still seeking answers on Smuckers/Bicks closures”
By MPP Toby Barrett “Most of great literature is about the nobility of the warrior. We need people who will fight to the death for things. It’s important.” – Victoria Goddard, on Soldiering as quoted in Fifteen Days by Christie Blatchford. Over the centuries we have had tough, principled people willing to do whatever it … Continue reading “Fight fascism, fight communism, fight terrorism”
By MPP Toby Barrett As debate grows locally with regard to solar, wind, biomass and coal, I will be hosting a third Energy and our Environment Symposium to bring issues to the local stage. Once again, the Jarvis Community Centre will feature presenters and exhibitors from 5-to-9pm on Wednesday, November 10th. All are welcome. Between … Continue reading “‘Tis the season for ideas, information and debate”
By MPP Toby Barrett Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness, Close bosom-friend of the maturing sun… – John Keats Autumn is a time of mists and mellow fruitfulness, of fall fairs, and this year also a time of all-candidates nights. I have attended most of the fairs and municipal debates this fall and have heard … Continue reading “‘Tis the season for ideas, information and debate”
By MPP Toby Barrett …launching a commission of inquiry is a risky process- a bit like sending a ship out to sea. You don’t know where it will go, how long it will take, how much it will cost or what it will bring back. – Larson Associates The above quote introduces a recently published … Continue reading “The value of inquiries into Caledonia and eHealth”
By MPP Toby Barrett Ideas, information and candidates always provide an interesting mix before any election – and I trust the lead up to the Oct. 25 municipal vote will be no exception. It’s not as if we don’t have anything to talk about! Across Norfolk and Haldimand we have been challenged by some tough … Continue reading “So who do we vote for on Oct. 25?”
By MPP Toby Barrett The return to the Legislature now gives MPPs a forum to focus on the discontent of this summer past. And the debate has been raucous! The focus – Mr. McGuinty’s double-shot to the wallet of the HST and the eco tax on the same day. On July 1, Mr. McGuinty brought … Continue reading “A raucous return to the Ontario Legislature”