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Friday, April 24, 2009
Christine Elliott on Northern development
While Hudak's been talking tax suspension and Hillier's been talking ban repeals, Christine Elliott has been talking Northern development. The candidate announced on Wednesday her plan for helping Northern Ontario:
- Establishing a law school in Northern Ontario
- Ensuring affordable access to broadband. (Elliott does not elaborate on what would constitute "affordable" or how the government would assure that it would be.)
- Establishing "centres of excellence in transforming resource based industries into high value-added, green technology job generators."
- Supporting the Law Foundation of Ontario’s proposal (I think that's what she's talking about) to use existing videoconferencing systems that are in place for health services to provide legal service in remote areas and perhaps creating incentives for law students to move to and practice in under-serviced areas.
Yeah, it's all a little vague, but at least it gives you an idea of where she's coming from. It's a step in the right direction.
So there you have it. It seems that three of the four candidates have jumped into the policy race. It's good to see that Ontario PCs will have something to sink their teeth into when they're deciding who to support. I'm a little disappointed to see so many plans for government to do more, but not all PCs will be and hopefully there's some real debate on ideas coming our way.
(To be fair, Klees has a policy section on the front page of his website, but so far it basically lists the party's principles rather than any substantive policy. I look forward to seeing a contribution from the guy brave enough to breach the topic of privatizing aspects of health care last time around.)
Posted by Janet Neilson on April 24, 2009 in Canadian Provincial Politics | Permalink
Comments
Ah. More lawyers. Just what Ontario needs (?!).
Paul McKeever
Leader, Freedom Party of Ontario
Lawyer
Posted by: Paul McKeever | 2009-04-24 1:51:54 PM
The best thing for Northern Ontario would be for it to become its own province.
Past conservative policy has never been popular or successful in Northern Ontario. Christine Elliott at least has some better ideas than the other candidates. Tax breaks are not the answer to help the region. The Spring Bear Hunt issue is really pointless as very very few people hunt bears. Elliott's ideas at least are building on successful recent policies put forth by the Liberal government rather than the same old conservative talk from the other candidates. But Northern Ontario rarely elects conservatives.
Posted by: Bob Peloquin | 2009-04-24 10:15:44 PM
If you want development, then remove the government and its regulations from the scene and development will happen.
Posted by: Alain | 2009-04-26 8:03:32 PM
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