Posted by: Cooleddown | 03/03/2012

Drummond Report (And the Budget)

It has been just over a couple of weeks since the release of the Drummond Report and after a wide range of news and opinions, it seems that everyone has come to the realization that it’s time to get to work to bring the Ontario government back in the black.

What will be most interesting is how the budget is presented. I would expect it to be a balanced approach that tries to reign in spending and uses a few different income avenues (such as selling real estate already announced). What I find is the best approach is making sure that cuts/changes are made so that essential services and programs are not adversely affected. This is integral because people have an expectation that the things they are used to getting from these services will continue.

That’s why by taking a close look at the systems themselves will bring about better results for both the services and the government pocketbook. It is a major adjustment that needs to be done so that programs stay efficient. Many people talk about how large bureaucracy can become, and now is the chance to look at it, and see where improvements can be made based on the recommendations.

It is important to be positive. While it isn’t easy to have to put everything under the microscope, things will be better adjusted so that we don’t have to cut through the “muscle and bone” just to get to the “fat”.

Healthcare and Education are the biggest items on the list (it takes up a lot of the overall budget), and the budget will most likely include changes those. The Drummond report has a lot of recommendations on both.

At the end of the day, this budget will lay out the ground work for Ontario to balance the books by 2017-2018.

Leave a Comment

Posted in Local Considerations, Politico, Ramblings

Posted by: Cooleddown | 01/23/2012

Snow!

Okay, not the greatest title, but we got our first real snowfall this past weekend! Actually, it feels a lot like Christmas should be coming, but alas, it was a month ago already. Which isn’t a bad thing. February is only a week away and that means winter will start to wind down. Since the snowfall, temperatures have rebounded to above normal and that means a much more tolerable time outside and waiting for the car to warm up.

At least now people can go snowmobiling.

The last week or so has been a busy time. Our PLA AGM in Dryden was awesome as we had over twenty people in attendance. We would have had more, but the first cold snap of the winter hit, and we had at least half a dozen with broken down cars. My campaign manager during the election broke down just east of Winnipeg on the way over and was stuck in the outdoors for much of the day :( .

The AGM’s main focus was to re-found the Riding Association and start the tend of being positive. When times are tough, we tend to become cynical/negative and there have been many reasons as to why those in the riding have felt that way.

But, we need to build/rebuild, and move forward in a way that shares a similar vision. While opinions can differ, and arguments can happen, as long as we try to focus on the bigger picture we can come together in ways not usually thought of.  It is by bringing people together that we can succeed.

I hope in the next several months we will be able to spread the word and expand our membership across the region. People deserve to be involved and we want to make sure we provide that opportunity.

As we anxiously wait for Spring to arrive, we look forward to brighter days, warmer temperatures, and great times with friends, family, and colleagues.

Can’t wait!

 

Leave a Comment

Posted in Local Considerations, Politico, Ramblings | Tags: , , , , ,

Posted by: Cooleddown | 01/15/2012

Campaign Reflections (Part 4)

Being invited to the Kenora forum during that campaign was the next part of the campaign. After an enjoyable first debate in Dryden (My first televised event!), the Kenora debate was a bit different as it was more of an information of the candidates forum than an actual debate (the majority of attendees were from the business community as well). However, things did get interesting during the closing comments.

Below is most of my opening speech during the Kenora debate (forum):

“…In the summer of 2004, I took a job at Tyc’s Resot, on Blindfold Lake. This was my first real opportunity to spend time in Kenora and see what was offered. This was only a year before the shut down of the paper mill, but gave me the insight of what Kenora had. 

After the shut down of the mill, the city and its people decided not to sit back and hope for some to just come along. You decided to step up and find out what was possible to get things rolling again. You took the negative and turned it into a positive outlook on what was possible.

What we have seen in the past few years is a new life in Kenora. Tourism is booming in the area, and with the assistance of a $800,000 investment from the Northern Heritage Fund, as well as local support, a new permanent tent now exists on the harbourfront. This type of investment is exactly what our region needs.

I want to provide that same positive image and outlook the people of Kenora had, and continue to have. We need to continue this passion and dedication to find opportunities and have the government investments needed in order to achieve prosperity. I believe Kenora is an example of what we can accomplish in the North. When faced with adversity and disappointment, we must stand up, look around, and move forward…” -2011 Kenora Debate

Leave a Comment

Posted in Local Considerations, Politico, Ramblings | Tags: , , , , ,

Posted by: Cooleddown | 01/03/2012

Campaign Reflections (Part 3)

Centennial Pavilion in Vermillion Bay, Ontario

I always write my speeches and letters from the heart. If I am not honest with myself, how can I ever be honest to those around me? I try to combine logical thinking with emotional connection since it is the basis for human communication. People want to not only understand what you are saying, but what it means to the writer. For me, it is very important in being able to draw from my own relationships with others in how I perceive and view the world around me. I want to understand other perspectives and find ways to reach middle ground amongst involved individuals and groups. Finding the middle ground is integral in finding ways in moving forward so that we can continually reinvent ourselves to prepare for any difficulties that may come in the future.

When I was nominated, I wrote a speech that came straight from the heart:

(Excerpt),

“I believe that we deserve someone that will promote our admirable qualities. To show Ontario that we can be destined for great things that will help strengthen the province in a way many have not considered. It is time we start working with Ontario. It’s time for us to build and enhance our foundation to expand on new economic developments, find efficiencies in the resources we have, and continue to protect and defend the core values and traditions we have always treasured. We must respect our environment, but also enrich the lives of everyone through improved healthcare, education, services, and infrastructure.

It is time that we provide our children with new and exciting opportunities; it is time to support the people of Kenora-Rainy River and to attract new workers and families to the region by providing the necessary conditions for growth, both in the near and far future.

I am dedicated to providing you an outlet to share your concerns, suggestions, and questions, to the province. I want to be the voice of positive commitment for you when I am at Queen’s Park, and share with the rest of Ontario the passion I have for the people of this riding.

It is up to us to shape our future, and what better way than having a strong voice to succeed in all our endeavors.”

It doesn’t take long to write something when it comes from inside. I wrote a different speech for each time we went to debates because the audience was always new. With the large riding, issues and concerns can be different, leading to an approach that is unique from one to another. People deserve to have the chance to hear what is important to the individual, especially when seeking public office. My nomination speech tried to showed just that. What is important to me is how hard we work together in securing a great future for our children and grandchildren.

Thank You for reading. See you around in 2012!

Leave a Comment

Posted in Local Considerations, Politico, Ramblings, World Considerations | Tags: , , , , ,

Posted by: Cooleddown | 12/30/2011

Campaign Reflections (Part 2)

The 2011 Ontario Election Campaign in Kenora-Rainy River was interesting to say the least. The sudden announcement of Howard Hampton’s retirement surprised pretty much everyone, except those privy to the news ahead of time. It seemed to be a wide open affair for the riding, until of course, the election results.

At the end of the day, it wasn’t the results that meant as much to me than the termendous experience I earned. The travel was a lot (Drove over approximetly 6,700km in 28 days), but the view of the region was beautiful the whole way through. It was hard not to have your jaw drop due to the amazing scenery. Even after driving the highways over and over again did not take away from the beauty of the great Northwest of Ontario.

I remember one of the the first major events I attended after the Writ was dropped; the Rotary Club Annual Lobsterfest in Kenora. It was a big crowd and I was able to have someone introduce me to several people along the way. The food was great (It was my first Lobsterfest :) ) and the company was even better. While I was relatively unknown, it was great to have the chance to meet many new people.

It was a great start to the campaign, since the early goal was to go to as many events as possible and meeting up with people.

 

 

Leave a Comment

Posted in Local Considerations, Politico, Ramblings | Tags: , , ,

Posted by: Cooleddown | 12/30/2011

2012…. In a Couple Days

As the year comes to a close, it is customary for pretty much every person, including the media, to talk about how the last year went for them, their family, their country, and the world as a whole. So, instead of being some sort of salmon trying to swim against the stream, I will mention a few things that happened in 2011 that are of personal note.

World

1)  The Debt Crisis in Europe – There continues to be no end in sight with the problems in Europe and the EU specifically. As mentioned in my blog earlier this month, it will have to take some serious ideological changes in order to find some real stability on the situation. Is it too late? No. Is time running out? Definitely….

2) Osama Bin Laden & Kim Jong-Il – These two deaths both came by a bit of a surprise. I think so many people had forgotten or at least stopped paying attention to Bin Laden and the hunt that his sudden death made people many say, “Oh, I forgot he was still alive.” -Even I am guilty of that. For many others, it was a part of closure over the 9/11 attacks in 2001.  As for Kim Jong-il, reading the news on www.cnn.com blew my eyes wide open. Usually dictators like that rule for a very long time (Fidel Castro for example), but it was not the case for the North Korean. Looks like transition is going flawlessly in a report from www.cbc.ca

3) The Civil War in Libya – This dominated the storylines throughout the first half of the year. I stated in another blog when it first occurred that the possibility of the country being split in two and having separate governments was likely. However, after the help of NATO, it was apparent that there was going to be a push for a complete switch over. For a while, it seemed that a stalemate would happened. Just a few months later, Gaddafi was dead and Libya now has the job of bringing back peace, stability, and government.

Canada

1) May Federal Election – It was a hard fought battle in the Federal Election of 2011, but it was the Conservative Party that earned it first majority in about 20 years. Not only that, but the NDP for the first time became the Official Opposition, while the Federal Liberals were reduced to only 34 seats (Its lowest ever).

2) Jack Layton’s Passing – Layton’s death was significant in so many ways. After leading the NDP to the most seats ever earned in the history of the party, Layton became ill again in mid-summer. On August 22nd, he passed away due to cancer. Layton was successful in so many ways. He was very personable and connected with young and old.  One of the ads I watched actually brought tears to my eyes. Watching it after his death might not be a good idea for me. He truly believed in himself and others across this nation. People will always remember him for being tenacious and caring.

Sports

1) Dan Wheldon Wins His Second Indy 500 – Not very often do I get to watch the Indy 500, but this year I did. It was an amazing race and was interesting almost the whole way through. The rookie leading must have been so hyped about winning his first Indy when the leader had ran out of gas. But trying to get around a lapped car on the last lap (and the last corner), he went into the marbles and crashed into the outside wall. Trying to make it to the line, Wheldon passed the damaged car before the line, winning his second Indy 500.

2) Canada Loses to Russia in World Juniors – Ugh, even after a month of the game being over, it still hurt that Team Canada had a 3-0 lead, only to get scored on 5 times in the third and lose the World Juniors Championship. So far, 2012 is looking good as the Canadians are 3-0 in the preliminaries.

3) Dan Wheldon Dies in Race Crash – The last Indycar series race of the year saw Indy 500 champion Dan Wheldon’s car launched into the outside fence. It was a blow to the racing community once again and reminds us all that no matter how many safety innovations there have been, racing is a dangerous sport.

4) Vancouver Canucks Lose in Game 7 of Finals – This is a very personal loss for me. Becoming a fan in 1994 after the Canucks made it to the NHL Stanley Cup Finals, only to lose it in Game 7 to the New York Rangers, I was waiting every year since to see them make the finals. 2011 was the year they would make it back in that position, only to lose again to the Boston Bruins in a Game 7…. 17 years of waiting, and I am still waiting :( . I am still a huge fan and am so excited to see them pull out of their early season slump. Hopefully that continues and they get another shot at the Cup.

5) The Winnipeg Jets returning! – What more can be said? It was an EPIC announcement!

Personal

1) Brother Wins First Race (Grand Rapids Speedway) – Watching my brother win his first race of his career was a huge highlight in 2011. It seemed surreal then, and still does. He then went on to win twice at the local track (Emo Speedway), and his first track championship.

2) Running in the Provincial Election – What a GREAT opportunity to have been able to run in the provincial election in Fall 2011. It was a great experience and I had so much fun meeting so many people throughout the entire region. I look forward to continuing to work with communities around the riding.

There are so many things that happened in 2011 that I could write about. Some are small, little things that happened, some are bigger, but many are too much for this blog. As time goes on, I will probably discuss more, but for now those are some of my more interesting moments of observation.

As we approach 2012, we think what are the possibilities. Whatever happens, we are all in this together.

Question: What were your favourite moments of 2011? What are your expectations of 2012?

Leave a Comment

Posted in Local Considerations, Politico, Racing World, Ramblings, Sports, World Considerations | Tags: , , , , ,

Posted by: Cooleddown | 12/28/2011

Winnipeg’s Pride Has Returned

It is not everyday when I get the chance to go to an NHL hockey game at the actual rink when an actual game is on, but because of a wonderful Christmas Gift from someone very special to me, I had the chance to watch the Winnipeg Jets take on the Pittsburgh Penguins last Friday night. The result wasn’t what we wanted, a 4-0 win of Montreal the day before kind of gave us the idea it wouldn’t turn out very well for the local team. However, by the end of the second period, it was a tie game. There was hope that it would be a great third period, but 22 seconds into the period, the Pens scored….. two more times after that in the first five minutes.

But it was an experience I will never forget and what I learned that night was the pride that Winnipeggers have about getting an NHL team in the city again. I have been blown away all season that the name “Winnipeg” is in the NHL standings, but Friday night gave me a first hand look at just how happy people are to see the Jets playing again. What impressed me the most was that the fans in the arena did not boo their team as the final seconds wore down off the clock. In fact, the famous chant of “Go Jets Go” could be heard throughout the stadium. It put a smile on my face I didn’t quite expect and it make me glad that people really appreciate the fact there is an NHL team again.

It is hard to describe in words how, even myself, am proud that the city has a team. Spending five years of University there gave me an unexpected attachment to it. I love that city for many, many reasons and having the Jets there just adds more dynamics to how much I love it.

There are many people who love Winnipeg, and whatever your feelings might be about it, having an NHL team shows just how dedicated, passionate, and enthusiastic people are about their hockey, their city, and their Jets.

Comment Question: Do you feel that with an NHL team in Winnipeg that the city’s pride has come back (or improved)?

Leave a Comment

Posted in Ramblings, Sports | Tags: , , , , ,

Posted by: Cooleddown | 12/23/2011

Merry Christmas!

Since I won’t be around my famous (okay, maybe not famous) PC for the next couple days, I want to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas this weekend! It hadn’t really felt like Christmas around here until this morning, when we got about an inch or so of snowfall. In fact, this was the largest amount of snow in one round this year! I know Fort Frances got a bit more the last time, but for our area west, it feels a bit more like winter. However, it doesn’t look like the majority of it will stick around. Temperatures are going to reach above 0C over the next several days which will lead to a drop in the snow levels. With the warm air, snow tends to condense more and tends to freeze harder at night. This basically means that the fluffy white will turn into a more icy hard white (and sometimes brown :( ).

Whatever happens, Christmas still comes every year and I wish everyone a great time with family and friends throughout the festive season! I hope you get the gifts you wanted! :D

Take care and see you on the other side of the weekend!

Leave a Comment

Posted in Ramblings

Posted by: Cooleddown | 12/21/2011

Campaign Reflections (Part One)

A picture of Vermillion Bay in September 2011

Only a couple more days until the Christmas Holidays with Christmas on Sunday. It’s been an interesting 2011 in my life, whether it was being in the Provincial election, seeing my brother win his first race and then eventual track championship, or spending my first year on town council. It has been a lot of fun. The time I spent campaigning is one of my most memorable moments.

Even though the time was pretty short, having the opportunity to visit so many communities and people in the riding was like a dream come true. The debates were a ton of fun and it was really neat having the chance to speak to so many people from many different walks of life.

One of my most interesting moments was in Hudson, where one of my friends wanted to start to take videos that would show my personal thoughts and feelings for the riding. We visited an idle sawmill and the whole experience brought a new perspective.

It was dead silent, with the exception of a few birds squawking around. The parking lot was having a lot of grow in from the weeds and grass seeping through the cracks in the asphalt. The mill hadn’t been shut down for too long, but it was already starting to look as though no one had touched it for several years. Equipment laid around, showing disrepair, and buildings were showing age.

After spending about 10 minutes looking at the site, my friend asked me how I felt about what I was looking at. I didn’t realize at the time that he was recording my response, but a sense of sadness and concern overwhelmed me.

I wasn’t too sure what to say, other than what I could put into words. Trying to find perspective, I stated that when you look at something like this, the first reaction you have is anger, frustration and even confusion. We think about how could something like this happen? This was a lifestyle for so many people in the area, and when it shut down, the devastation was immense. Families were forced to move, rethink how they were to do things without a job to sustain their lives.

But through all this anger and frustration, we need to find hope. We need to find ways to bring opportunities for families again. We have to think what other ideas we can bring to the table. Even when things look so down that it is difficult to look up at the stars, we need to make sure that we remain positive that some day, things will get better.

We know there is so much potential in our region. All we have to do is be proactive, find sustainable industries, and plan ahead just in case things don’t work as well as expected.

Thank you for your time.

Leave a Comment

Posted in Local Considerations, Politico, Ramblings | Tags: , , , ,

Posted by: Cooleddown | 12/20/2011

Federal Health Funding to Provinces

The health talks in Victoria, BC with the Federal Government and the Provinces brought out some harsh response and controversy about the announcement of the six percent annual increase to be reduced after 2017.

The good news of the story is that at the very least, the maintaining of the annual increase will last for several more years, giving the provinces the needed supply of funding for an ever increasing demanding health care system. The Baby Boomer generation is continuing to put a strain on all government budgets and while efficiencies will be looked at and adjusted accordingly, the overall cost will continue to increase.

The big scare is that the government will tie funding increases to the rate of nominal GDP which means if the economy is not growing, or is shrinking, funding may go down (Although the Conservatives say it will be a minimum 3% regardless of the economy).

The most frustrating end of it is how the federal government’s position is non-negotiable which makes me wonder why there is an increase of barrier type politics. Not being able to work together on major issues like healthcare between the two levels of government could also lead to other divides that could cripple provincial  services.

I would hope that resolve rather than conflict will come out of the talks at the end of the day. While I know that the provinces are looking after their end of things as much as possible and wanting to get the best deal at all costs, surely the federal government can try to find ways to balance their stances with the provinces.

Flat out stating no negotiations will occur with this deal doesn’t stand near at all with the political and democratic process that should take place when the two levels need to work together to achieve success for the country as a whole.  If the province and the federal governments are at arms with each other, we will never be prepared for the future in a balanced and understanding approach.

***Starting today, I will end the blog post with a question. If you are interested in responding, please comment. Thanks!

Question of the Day: “Do you feel the needs of the healthcare system are too great to see a decrease in funding after 2017?

Leave a Comment

Posted in Politico, Ramblings | Tags: , , , , , , , ,

Older Posts »

Categories

Follow

Get every new post delivered to your Inbox.

Join 991 other followers