Ontario Gets Preview of Drummond Report

Only five days into the New Year, the fight for a balanced budget in Ontario has begun. Comments last week from Ontario’s independent financial advisor, Don Drummond, will be controversial. However, they mark the beginning of a debate that has to occur. That debate is all about how to spend within our means, get maximum value for tax dollars, and still provide essential services such as healthcare and education.

One of the points made by Don Drummond in an interview last week was that Ontario’s fiscal problems are home-grown and are not the result of economic turmoil in the US and Europe. PC Leader Tim Hudak and the Official Opposition have consistently made a similar point that Ontario’s debt and spending problems are the result of spending choices this government has made. They are not caused by somebody else. We can only hope that Mr. Drummond has better luck making this case to the government than has the Official Opposition. So far, Premier McGuinty has rejected or ignored our suggestions to restore accountability, rein in spending, and tackle the growing deficit. Is the McGuinty Government simply using the Drummond report as a cover for 8 years of mismanagement?

The Drummond Commission Report was not even printed last week. But, the sneak preview provided by Mr. Drummond in media interviews tells us what to expect. Mr. Drummond, a leading economist who has served in both the public and private sector, suggests most provincial Ministries face major budget cuts. Some of the cuts to individual Ministries could be as high as 30 per cent. He warned that without massive savings, Queen’s Park can’t possibly meet a balanced budget target for 2017-18. At the same time, news reports quoted Mr. Drummond as saying key services such as healthcare will not be facing cutbacks, although the annual increase in healthcare allocations may be much less.

Look for the Drummond Report to be released to the public later in January. The report was commissioned by the McGuinty government and includes extensive research by Mr. Drummond and three Commissioners. It is clear from last week’s media articles that transformation is expected in every corner of government. The estimated 400 recommendations for spending reforms would cover services ranging from healthcare, education, and corporate tax incentives to remuneration for public sector employees.

As Chair of the Commission, Don Drummond has recommended public hearings on the report once it has been tabled. Without seeing the final report, it isn’t possible to comment in more detail. However, it appears that the Drummond recommendations could lead to a major transformation in how Ontario spends the taxpayers’ dollars. Many would agree that such reforms are long overdue. Citizens, and indeed all stakeholders, must be heard before this report goes anywhere else.

Public Info Centre on Truck Inspection Station

A Public Information Centre (PIC) has been announced in connection with plans to build a new Commercial Vehicle Inspection Facility on Highway 401. This proposed facility will replace the existing Bowmanville Truck Inspection Station on westbound Highway 401. The PIC will be held Monday, January 23, 2012, at the Newtonville Community Hall.  There is a drop-in session for agencies from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m., followed by a public drop-in session from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Representatives from the Ministry of Transportation and from Dillon Consulting Limited will be on hand to answer questions and discuss the next steps in the Class Environmental Assessment (EA) and Preliminary Design Study. The area under consideration for a new site is within a corridor on the westbound lanes between Burnham Street in Cobourg and Mill St. in Newcastle.

Ontario Parks Attract 10 Million Visitors in 2011

Almost ten million people visited Ontario’s provincial parks in 2011 – an increase of 50,000 visitors from the year before. The parks also brought in almost $63 million in revenues last year. Most Ontarians are within a two-hour drive of one of the province’s 330 provincial parks. The parks provide families and visitors from around the world with a wide range of accessible and affordable outdoor activities. Algonquin Park, founded in 1893, was the first of Ontario’s provincial parks. Today, provincial parks cover nine million hectares. You can find out more information at www.ontarioparks.com . You can make reservations up to five months in advance by booking online at OntarioParks.com/welcome or calling the park reservation line at 1-888-ONT-PARK.

Process Streamlined for Some Name Changes

Ontario is making it easier for ex-spouses to legally revert back to their former last names at the end of a marriage. Previously, those who chose to revert to their former last names, after a marriage, had to file a request within 90 days at a cost of $25.  If they did not, they had to go through a longer, more complex name change process that cost $137. A new provision that takes effect this month removes the 90-day time limit and reduces the cost to $25.  This process only applies to those who legally changed their name to that of their spouse. In many marriages, the spouse merely assumes a surname, in which case the complete name change process is not required. As with all provincial services, my Constituency Office is available to help put you in touch with provincial information you may need about programs offered by the Ontario government and its agencies. I may be reached at (905) 697-1501 and toll-free at 1-800-661-2433. My e-mail address is john.otooleco@pc.ola.org.

Thanks for Attending 2012 Levee

I would like to thank all those who attended my Annual New Year’s Levee held this year at the Sarah Jane Williams Heritage Centre in Bowmanville January 8. This was a great opportunity to welcome to New Year with friends, while enjoying music and light refreshments.