John Paul Zronik
Brantford Expositor
Friday, September 07, 2007 - 07:00
Local News - A local developer whose housing project was stalled by a Six Nations protest this week should not be left to fend for himself, Ontario Conservative leader John Tory said Thursday.
"If you look across Brant County, if you look across Haldimand, it's not just one developer," Tory said. "We can not have a situation like that, where people take the law into their own hands."
Tory commented on the situation faced by Mike Quattrociocchi, owner of Mayberry Homes, during a conference call with Osprey Media reporters from across Ontario.
On Tuesday, Six Nations protesters halted the construction of four duplexes being built by Quattrociocchi's company on Grand River Avenue, claiming the development was taking place on native land.
The developer called it "disgraceful" that the municipality, province and federal government have forced him to fend for himself against the protesters.
Tory said he would offer help to developers facing similar situations, using civil courts and the "moral authority" of the premier's office to ensure laws are upheld.
"I'm going to be an advocate of one law for all," Tory said, adding that he would also be a staunch advocate for the rights of native peoples.
As premier, Tory said he would push for a faster process of addressing native land claims, something Ottawa has already promised.
"I'm going to be a forceful advocate of encouraging the federal government to do what they said they we're going to do."
The Conservative leader also said he would engage in dialogue with native leaders, making it clear illegal protests won't help their cause. "I want to sit down and have a friendly but firm chat with the (natives)."
Besides land claims, Tory addressed other issues of local concern, including the future of the Nanticoke generating station, farming, Ontario's doctor shortage, and municipal infrastructure funding.
nanticoke coal plant
Tory said he will work to clean up Ontario's coal-fired electricity generating stations - starting with Nanticoke, located southeast of Brantford - but that he wouldn't close any plants until the province generates enough energy to replace them.
"I will not close down one megawatt of generating capacity until such time as there is generating capacity to replace it," Tory said. "If that is 2014, so be it."
During the last provincial election, the Liberals promised to close Ontario's four coal-fired plants, including Nanticoke, by 2007. Once elected, the party moved that deadline to 2009 and later to 2014. Tory said Premier Dalton McGuinty has lost all credibility on the energy issue.
"I don't think anything else he says on the issue should be taken seriously," Tory said.
He also said farmers need a "permanent and reliable" made-in-Ontario program to replace the federal Canadian Agricultural Income Stabilization Program, which he said isn't working for all farmers. The new program would serve to protect farmers from unforeseen negative impacts of weather, disasters or international trade problems.
The Conservative leader said he also wants to do more to promote the sale of Ontario produce. He said Foodland Ontario, designed to promote Ontario produce, has become more focused on feel-good advertisements than telling people to go out and buy their food from local farmers.
On the issue of health care, Tory slammed the Liberal government for breaking a promise to reduce a shortage of doctors. He said there were one million Ontarians without a family doctor when the Liberals came to power, and that number hasn't changed four years later.
"The number of underserviced communities under Mr. McGuinty's watch has gone up," he said.
Tory said he would offer incentives for young doctors to stay in the province, including postponing the repayment of education loans, and give foreign trained doctors a "reasonable chance" to practice in Ontario.
He said he would also work to open more nurse clinics to take pressure off doctors, form more Family Health Teams in Ontario and reduce the amount of paperwork for doctors by implementing an electronic record keeping system.
Tory also promised by the end of his first term to contribute all of Ontario's gas tax revenues to infrastructure projects. "That will be a huge benefit to municipalities across the province," he said.