Date: May 28, 2007

Re: Garfield’s Article – Springwater News

MPP DUNLOP: ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES TO BE TOP PRIORITIES IN FALL ELECTION

By the time this issue of the Springwater News reaches its readers, the final session of the 38th Parliament of Ontario will be almost complete. As you may be aware, the Ontario Legislature passed legislation that will fix election dates every four years and on October 10, 2007 the provincial election will take place. This election, the citizens of Ontario will elect 106 Members of Parliament. I will be seeking my third term as the MPP for Simcoe North as a member of the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario. I was successfully nominated to represent this riding on April 5 of this year.

I look forward to a fairly high-level campaign. I will be campaigning on my success as a strong constituency MPP and will be advocating my success as an MPP while both in government and opposition.

In this era of democratic renewal, I expect that the citizens of Simcoe North will want to see an election campaign where issues are debated rather than a

Springwater News Article
May 28, 2007

campaign of mudslinging that we have seen in some regions of our province in previous elections.

A top priority of mine will be to stop the construction of a landfill at Site 41. Since the Walkerton tragedy, I think it is essential that we no longer accept upward - gradient landfill design. Although the Ministry of the Environment approved the design last fall, I would suggest that many mistakes have been made over the years and it is time to admit these mistakes and look at new technology such as gasification and waste – to – energy.

When the Liberal Government passed the Adams Mine Lake Act (Bill 49), sections of the legislation dealt with compensation to those who had invested in the approval process. The same should apply to Site 41. I have introduced a Private Members Bill, Site 41 in the Township of Tiny Act that would compensate the County of Simcoe if and when the approval of Site 41 is reversed.

Another priority of mine will be the need for the protection of beautiful Lake Simcoe. With the expected growth of a minimum 250,000 people in the County of Simcoe and the cities of Barrie and Orillia over the next 25 years it is absolutely imperative that significant provincial investment be planned for both the required hard and soft infrastructure. Increasing the population by approximately 60% will require hundreds of millions of dollars in infrastructure investment in order to enhance and protect Lake Simcoe. The costs have to be borne by development and by the provincial government, not the local tax payers.

A third and very important priority will be the need to immediately address declining water levels in Georgian Bay and the upper Great Lakes. Although there are a number of political jurisdictions that need to have input, I believe the Province of Ontario has to take a leadership role on this issue rather than the “sit back and we’ll see” approach that the Dalton McGuinty government has taken.

There are a number of other issues that will be brought forward at election time and I look forward to a writ period that will see candidates debate topics that should enhance the quality of life for the citizens of Simcoe North.

In the meantime, I invite everyone to attend my seventh annual Picnic and Barbecue to be held on July 14, 2007 at the Coldwater Curling Club between 3:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.