KAREN BEST
Wednesday, June 20, 2007 - 05:00
Dunnville Chronicle
Local News - Lorraine Bergstrand's top-four issues are Six Nations, tobacco growers, Ontario Power Generation and farming.
As the acclaimed provincial Liberal candidate for Haldimand-Norfolk riding, she says she will sit down with members of Premier Dalton McGuinty's cabinet to be briefed on all issues.
"I will be out meeting people all summer," she said, regarding the launch of her campaign for this fall's provincial election.
At the Haldimand-Norfolk nomination meeting held in Hagersville on June 13, former Haldimand County councillor Craig Ashbaugh nominated her, calling her his friend and the best politician he has met.
Two days later, Bergstrand was in Flyers restaurant on Queen Street, saying the native occupation is a huge issue in the riding. Recognizing the fears of third parties, she said that under federal policy, current property owners will not be displaced.
While recognizing the proposed and pending legislation to expedite land claim resolutions, she said any federal government must be embarrassed at the dismal progress it has made over the past 130 years.
There is not a non-native that would accept 130 years of waiting for the government to deal with a legal issue, Bergstrand said.
"You have to look at what pushed these (Six Nations) people," she said.
As the Haldimand-Norfolk MPP, Bergstrand said she would apply pressure using her people skills to expedite resolution in a way everyone can live with.
Bergstrand is in the midst of reading the Ipperwash Inquiry report. She advised everyone in the county to read it because it throws a lot of understanding on how the Caledonia site was handled by the provincial government and the Ontario Provincial Police.
She said public safety is paramount and has to be maintained. She says she would be there for constituents in good times and bad. "It's all about leadership," she said.
Bergstrand says fear mongering is damaging for Six Nations and county residents. "No matter what the crisis, people have to stay calm and get the facts," she said.
While serving as Haldimand County Mayor between 2000 and 2003, she worked with both the elected band chief and hereditary chiefs to place a water main across the Caledonia bridge. She also worked with Six Nations representatives on the transfer of the Port Maitland pier from the federal government to Haldimand County. The transfer is on hold.
Her political career began in 1987 as an area councillor on the former Town of Dunnville council. After serving two terms as a regional councillor, she was elected town mayor. In 2000, she was elected the first mayor of Haldimand County.
In Norfolk County, the provincial government must resolve the tobacco farming crisis and open the doors for other types of farming, Bergstrand said.
Farmers and their issues have been ignored in the counties of Haldimand and Norfolk, she said. The Ministry of Natural Resources' insistence that farmers bring functioning gas wells up to current standards is just one more pressure on farmers, Bergstrand said.
They need financial aid, or a workable timeframe, to come into compliance, she said.
Bergstrand is also ready to champion the cause for a replacement of the coal-fired Ontario Power Generation plant at the Nanticoke industrial park. Because both counties rely on jobs from the facility, she wants to see another enterprise come in to replace the 600 jobs and the $3 million in tax revenue it generates for Haldimand County.
At the nomination meeting, Ashbaugh commended Bergstrand for standing by her convictions to do what is right. This included identifying the Caledonia arena and library complex for Superbuild funding, acquiring more county long term care beds on the provincial bill and supporting a county No Smoking bylaw, he noted.
He described her as a tremendous leader and team player, and a goal and action oriented individual who is articulate and intelligent.
In her acceptance speech, Bergstrand said she nailed her flag to the Liberals' mast after watching Mike Harris and Ernie Eves create chaos in Ontario.
She also wanted to reach for the bar set by former Liberal politicians Gord Miller and Bob Speller.
She was aware that people who don't know her will twist her talents into negatives. They will say she is aggressive but she is passionate, determined, candid and truthful.