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Letters to the Editor

April 7, 2016   ·   0 Comments

More than two

narcissists on

Town Council

First, Todd Taylor presented a very thorough and overdue assessment of the less-than-adequate leadership situation with town council.

On one point, however, I would disagree with the revenue statement about providing policing services to Amaranth. Not being familiar with the details of the proposal it is not clear if the $400,000 is gross, which I doubt, or net revenue. In either case the residents of Amaranth would be ill-served. The Town of Orangeville should not be a profit-driven capitalistic entity. If the two municipalities were to reach a mutually beneficial policing agreement at cost, that would be the correct path, as it is for any shared service. Neither should be benefiting at the expense of the citizens of the other community. In reality I believe this proposal is really a devious maneuver by the mayor to make the Orangeville Police Service indispensable in the future re the OPP option.

Rob Bredin also touches on leadership in Orangeville. His speculation on Doug Holyday as mayor of Orangeville resulting in a $20 million surplus may be overly optimistic. However I would be interested in knowing the identity of the two narcissists on council.

The current mayor certainly qualifies in my opinion, but there are at least three others who have frequently risen to that standard as well, I believe.

Council Watcher

Billions being lost annually

For many years I have been writing to government authorities, political leaders, and letters to the editor complaining about Canada’s loss of billions of dollars annually in tax revenue due to very wealthy Canadians evading or avoiding the payment of their fair share of taxes through the use of offshore tax havens and loopholes.

The billions lost annually could have been used to fund infrastructure renewal, social programs, reduce taxes for ordinary Canadians, or reduce the deficit.

And yet, throughout the years, old line parties in Canada failed to take any meaningful action to overcome the problem.  I contacted Tom Mulcair and other NDP functionaries suggesting that tax evasion and avoidance be made a major election issue.  My request was met with stony silence. The issue was never raised at leaders’ debates, leader’s interviews,  or the mainstream media. It almost seems  as though tax evasion was a forbidden topic during the election.

With the revelation that top brass around the world are participating in the scheme, one begins to understand their reluctance  to solve the problem.

William Dascavich

Edmonton

Blames nuclear power for high hydro bills

Why is Ontario’s  electric power so damned expensive? The answer is nuclear power, a fiscal failure of monumental size, from every perspective. Ontario politics and nuclear power have been ‘bedmates’ for a long time.

The costs, beyond calculation, accumulate for generations to come as radioactive nuclear wastes and pollution continue to harm both the environment and public health.

Who wants to know how to reduce their monthly hydro bill  by at least 70% without any conservation measures? Just follow these simple instructions:

1.  Move to Quebec!

Based on a monthly use of 1000 kilowatt hours the average bill for an Ontario resident  is $226.03. In Quebec for the same number of kilowatt hours the average bill  is  $67.89. That’s 70% lower than Ontario.

Don’t speak French?? Then go to option No. 2.

2.  Move to British Columbia.

Maybe British Columbia will be more suitable, as English is spoken there but Chinese would be an asset. The average monthly B.C. Hydro bill for 1000 kwh is $89.12 – that’s 61% lower than Ontario.

Don’t want to move so far? Go to option 3.

3. Move to Manitoba.

How about Manitoba? English spoken there and the average hydro bill for 1000 kwh is $81.09  –  64% lower than Ontario.

This huge price disparity is due to badly mismanaged and misguided energy policies of the present Provincial government, that wants to be remembered as the GREEN Government and feel good about themselves, all the while rewarding their friends and foreign investors with your money.

And this is only the beginning; the Provincial Government has stated there are lots more rate hikes to come.

These high energy costs are one of the main reasons that Ontario’s industry can’t compete and good paying  jobs are leaving our province.

So just remember this when Kathleen Wynne wants you to re-elect her and her band of merry bandits.

Isn’t it amazing how quickly our friend McGuinty disappeared from the radar. He should be in jail for his mismanagement!

Fred Brailey

Orangeville

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