HANSARD RECORD: MPP ARNOTT HELPS LEAD THRONE SPEECH DEBATE
Throne Speech Debate
April 23, 2001
Mr Ted Arnott (Waterloo-Wellington): It is an honour and a privilege to rise in this historic chamber this afternoon on behalf of my constituents and second the motion that graciously receives Her Honour the Lieutenant Governor's speech from the throne. At the outset, I want to indicate that I'll be sharing my time with my friend the member for Mississauga South, and I wish to thank my executive assistant here at Queen's Park, Andrew Juby, who has helped me organize my thoughts for presentation this afternoon.
I am pleased to second the motion made by our newest member, the member for Parry Sound-Muskoka, and I want to offer him hearty congratulations on his election victory and welcome him to this House. I was pleased to spend some time during the by-election to show my support for the member. I know that he is very well regarded by the people he's privileged to represent and he has the honour of following a very strong tradition of representation for that area, notably his father, former Premier Frank Miller, and our former Deputy Premier and Treasurer, my friend Ernie Eves.
In speaking to last Thursday's throne speech, which had as its theme 21 steps to the 21st century, I would like to make the end our beginning for my constituents in the great riding of Waterloo-Wellington, for it is in the 21st and final step referenced in the throne speech that this government commits to an enhanced role for MPPs and so recognizes the solemn obligation each MPP has to represent the needs, hopes and best interests of his or her constituents.
In my view, one of the fundamental principles that guide and motivate the changes that we are making is that a government in a modern, pluralistic democracy rarely, if ever, knows better than the citizens that it represents. We must listen and act upon the advice of our informed citizenry -- our constituents who sent us here.
Since 1995 we have streamlined government and brought back fiscal responsibility and accountability. We did it because we know that's how the average family in Ontario lives and that is how they expect their government to operate and those are the principles of a government that serves the public, not itself.
Enhancing the role of MPPs is therefore a positive step toward realizing this goal: that point where government doesn't fully intrude so far into its agenda that it is not heeding the guidance and wisdom on an ongoing basis of the people that each member of provincial Parliament represents.
I am very privileged to represent a riding that is as blessed with a strong history, tremendous geography and a diversity of people and industry as is Waterloo-Wellington. Without a doubt, it is the people of my riding who are my greatest resource in doing my job as an MPP. Their advice and encouragement inspires me to work hard on their behalf and to fight for them when it's necessary to do so, whether it be from the opposition benches or from the government benches. I have taken note of their concerns about government debt, quality health care and education and the need to protect the environment and make our communities safe.
Whether at a council meeting in Wellesley township, a doughnut shop in Elmira, the chamber of commerce in Kitchener-Waterloo or after I've attended church in Fergus, I find the advice I receive from my constituents to be filled with infinite wisdom. It is with the advice of my constituents, through direct discussion and surveys of their opinion, that I endeavour to raise constructive ideas within the government caucus, with the Premier and with the cabinet, ideas which originate from the values so abundant in our riding, values of honesty, family, love, compassion for others and a strong work ethic, the values that built Waterloo-Wellington, that built our province and that built our country, timeless values we must forever embrace, for they are the reference point for our continued efforts to build a better province with opportunity for all -- for the single mother in New Hamburg struggling to give her child a better life; for the senior citizens on fixed incomes who worry about their health and the escalating cost of living; for the crippled person in a wheelchair who can't get into an old public building because it doesn't have a ramp; for the farmer who faces low commodity prices for his crops and an unsympathetic banker; for the teacher who is sick and tired of the fight between her union and the government because she just wants to teach kids; for the small business person struggling 16 hours a day and struggling to survive; for the university student working part-time to pay tuition while studying; for the infant baby born in Kitchener tonight whose parents lack the skills they need to give her the best possible start in life; for the alcoholic living in a cardboard box on a street in Toronto who needs a hand up. We must never overlook these people and write them off because they may not have voted for us. For if we do, our claim to be the rightful governing party in Ontario is diminished and we betray those timeless values I mentioned a moment ago.
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But reconciling the competing interests in Ontario's politics is never easy. We must balance our program spending with the ability of the beleaguered taxpayer to foot the bill, such that our tax levels are stimulating economic growth and progress, not retarding it. Returning to deficit financing and adding to our accumulated debt in good economic times is simply not an option. This is why I continue to call upon the government to commit itself to a concrete, long-term debt repayment plan with five-year interim targets. I have repeatedly raised this idea since this House passed my private member's resolution on this subject. Members may recall that resolution, which passed with support from all three parties in late 1997.
I was encouraged when our party's 1999 election platform included a commitment to a $2-billion payment against the debt -- encouraged but not wholly satisfied. I continue to insist that debt repayment must be taken more seriously by the provincial government. This commitment was increased in the last budget to a $5-billion debt retirement payment during this term of office. I believe the government's commitment to begin to pay down the debt was made with some understanding that it is sound fiscal policy to pay back what we owe and that we must address the huge financial burden we are passing along to our children and grandchildren through a $112-billion provincial debt.
My constituents in Waterloo-Wellington are astounded by the fact that interest charges on Ontario's debt now cost more than funding for Ontario's hospitals, and they want to know that the government is taking long-range steps to eliminate this enormous fiscal burden we inherited from previous administrations. In my 1999 survey of Waterloo-Wellington residents, close to two thirds of my constituents who responded said that paying down the debt should be the government's number one fiscal priority, far ahead of tax cuts. Consistent with their ethics on economic responsibility, they believe that during good economic times you pay down what you owe, period.
The speech from the throne recognizes their principles in that regard by making paying down the debt a higher priority, and I know they will be more confident about Ontario's fiscal integrity in the future when the government puts in place a concrete, long-term plan to eliminate the debt. We're hopeful that such a plan will be outlined in the provincial budget on May 9.
We in Waterloo-Wellington understand as well the crucial importance of attracting investment that creates new jobs, and we know that corporations and capital can bail out as easily as they buy in. The global economy is more mobile and competitive than it has ever been, and it's our duty to continue to create as competitive a tax structure as we possibly can.
To attract high-quality, high-paying jobs in industries that grow, we also have to implement strategies for economic development that strengthen our regional economies for the long term. In discussing strong and wise economic leadership that works to encourage the creation of sustainable jobs, I look back to 1991. I had been an MPP for about a year at that time, and a new approach to economic development was emerging for our nation's leaders. I first learned of this theory from a study conducted for the federal government, called Canada at the Crossroads: The Reality of a New Competitive Environment.
This report, headed up by Michael Porter, a professor of business administration at Harvard University, identified weaknesses in economic development policies and put forth a new direction to build strong regional economies by fostering strong interdependent business clusters. Up to that point, the most popular economic development strategy was known as diversification, which we've all heard of, which simply tried to locate all types of businesses everywhere, regardless of whether the network or geography existed to support them. We were uncompetitive, while the economies around the world were coming together in a globally oriented marketplace. We were missing job-creating opportunities.
Porter illustrated this weakness by looking at the automotive industry in Ontario. Although Ontario had a considerable number of jobs in that sector, we had a noticeable scarcity in supply industries that would sustain and keep the auto plants competitive. To me, this meant that jobs not sustained by a strong network would always be at risk. If things didn't change, those jobs could easily be moved elsewhere in the world. The solution was to develop clusters in a competitive environment that enabled industries to flourish as part of the network. In this way, a region's potentialities are transformed into goals because they become competitive advantages.
Something else happened in the 1990s in our part of Ontario: Honda set up an assembly plant in Alliston, and Toyota located in Cambridge. Since then, working partnerships with the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade, where I formerly served for about three and a half years as parliamentary assistant, have helped to encourage the supply-line industries that are flourishing as a part of a broader cluster that is poised for an even stronger future.
Last year in Elmira we celebrated the opening of YM Technologies, a supplier for Honda. In Palmerston we broke ground for the building of TG Minto, a parts supplier for the Toyota plant in Cambridge. Auto parts plants are running strong throughout our area. We have Musashi in Arthur, Jefferson Elora in Elora, and Long Manufacturing in Mount Forest, as well as Denso in Guelph, all of which have opened in the past five or six years.
Whether we look at the high-tech or automotive industries, our clusters are gaining momentum. The supply-line industries are growing, jobs are being created and those jobs are high-paying and more sustainable because they are more competitive. We need to continue to build upon regional economic strengths and potential strengths for the future in order to protect our jobs and create the new jobs we want to see created.
The throne speech makes reference to measures which are aimed at making government work better for the people it serves. This is also a key part of our pro-growth strategy. My constituents expect value for their tax dollars and understand that wise management and allocation of those dollars can create better results, more of the services they were intended to provide and a government that serves the public well because it is lean and efficient.
The government is augmenting this effort by signaling its intent to strike a task force to examine the appropriate role and place for government, looking at the services we need to deliver, and may in some instances suggest we should divest ourselves from providing services that might be more appropriately delivered by private companies in a competitive environment. It is my hope that this task force will hear good advice and strengthen the outlook for our government and how it contributes to the province's quality of life.
When I think of the need for the government to re-examine its appropriate functions, I can currently see no more appropriate a case study than that of the Conestoga dam, located in my riding. Described recently in the Globe and Mail as one of Ontario's largest dams, the Conestoga dam controls waterflow for the Conestoga River and the Grand River, affecting the water supply and water quality for the people in the region of Waterloo and the city of Brantford. The gates on this dam, which are normally opened and closed to control waterflow, are broken, and somewhere between $1.2 million and $1.5 million is needed to repair them. Without repairs there is a risk of a major catastrophe.
In the spring the dam controls the excess water to prevent flooding. Without the needed repairs the dam could fail, resulting in a catastrophic flash flood in which lives most likely would be lost.
In the summer, when the waterflow is low, the dam gates are opened to raise the levels and cleanse the water downstream. If there is a drought, which we have experienced as we know in recent years, drinking water that we take for granted could become dangerous.
Granted, these are worst-case scenarios. But they are identified as realistic by the engineers and leaders of the Grand River Conservation Authority, and I take them seriously and continue to advocate on their behalf. They, along with municipalities I am representing, have a well-founded belief that it is the province's role to be a major partner in paying for the needed repairs to those gates to make absolutely certain that these worst-case scenarios never happen. I support their position.
I have appreciated the opportunity to discuss this matter with the Premier, in a private meeting I had with him in February, and with our government caucus. I want to thank the Minister of Natural Resources for meeting with representatives of the Grand River Conservation Authority for further discussions. The minister also participated in a more recent follow-up meeting that I arranged with David Lindsay, President and CEO of the SuperBuild Corp, again with the conservation authority's representatives.
Our position on this matter is clear: the province of Ontario cannot abdicate its responsibility to assist conservation authorities in necessary flood-control projects. It is of the utmost importance to the riding of Waterloo-Wellington, and I will continue to raise this issue until it is satisfactorily resolved.
The throne speech is clear on another matter. It highlighted the fact that the government is working to improve the quality of life for all our citizens and in all our regions. I am pleased that this includes an effort to promote economic development in regions that have not yet shared in the prosperity that much of the province has enjoyed since 1995, such as parts of rural Ontario and northern Ontario.
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I think this also grants us an opportunity to express our appreciation to our farm families. They provide us with a high-quality, safe and nutritious food product at affordable prices and an excellent quality of life in our communities, in my riding and throughout the province.
Many grains and oilseeds farmers have faced the possibility of being thrown out of business by global market forces beyond their control, including rich subsidies in the United States and Europe. I met with and listened to farm leaders from our farm organizations and I firmly supported getting their concerns on to the government's agenda.
I want to commend the new Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs for his leadership and for the fact that the Ontario government has contributed significantly more safety net funding for grains and oilseeds than we normally would be obligated to do under the conventional funding formula.
The throne speech also addresses new opportunities for improvement in the field of education, where we wish to empower local educators with more flexibility on what materials they use to teach and providing parents with greater school choice. These goals should complement each other by raising accountability and ultimately the quality of the education our children receive. Continuing improvement in education is not a luxury. In a highly competitive world it is a necessity. That is why I was very encouraged by the proposal to encourage boards to reward our finest teachers and principals.
In my 1999 Keeping in Touch newsletter survey I posed a question including all the pros and cons of performance-based pay for teachers. My constituents were very supportive of performance pay for teachers. Almost two thirds of the respondents indicated support for rewarding our best teachers through pay for performance. I shared this information with the Premier and our caucus, and from the Premier's response it was very clear that he was very receptive and supportive of my constituents' views on this matter.
Along with measures that enhance the quality of education, the government is also committed to restoring the full educational experience or what are known as extracurricular activities. I believe that this can be done, but it can only be done with a reasonable compromise on both sides: by the teachers' federations and by the government.
Last year I spoke as forcefully as I could within caucus to encourage a reasonable compromise that would hopefully lead to the resumption of extracurricular activities. I suggested that Bill 74 be amended if teachers' unions agreed to resume the extracurricular activities that they had formerly led and organized and if they stopped using the withdrawal or the threat of withdrawal of extracurricular activities as a bargaining chip. The government responded by deciding not to proclaim the section of Bill 74 which would have made these after-school activities a mandatory job requirement for teachers as a gesture of goodwill.
Last month, the Advisory Group on Co-Instructional Activities finished its report, which I understand is subject to further study. I am hopeful that the group's advice will have a positive bearing on the effort to resolve the standoff.
It is my belief that a mediator is needed, someone with whom both sides may invest their trust, to work through recommendations from the advisory group or lay out a new course for a solution.
Last week I wrote to the Premier and copied the Minister of Education to suggest that the government ask our former Premier, the Honourable William G. Davis, to serve in an intermediary capacity aimed at restoring a full educational experience, including extracurricular activities, for Ontario students and the requisite positive environment for all concerned. If Mr Davis is unable to serve, perhaps Dr Bette Stephenson, our former Deputy Premier, might be prepared to do so, or some other person who has the respect and confidence of both parties to this dispute. I have offered this suggestion in the full knowledge that my constituents believe that we need to resolve this problem in the interests of students and end the war of words which is counterproductive to creating the quality education system that children need and deserve.
Ontario's children deserve the best. The commitment to build upon programs like the Healthy Babies, Healthy Children initiative will improve the prospects of more of Ontario's most vulnerable children. The Healthy Babies, Healthy Children program is helping families in my riding ensure that their children reach their full potential, and I look forward to enhanced services through the proposed early years centres that were referenced in the throne speech.
In 1998, the Legislature debated and passed my resolution which was aimed at highlighting this initiative and supporting the former health minister in her effort to make wise investments which will lead to better health outcomes in the future.
Following my resolution's passage, the next provincial budget committed the government to increase the funding for Healthy Babies, Healthy Children by fivefold, from $10 million annually to $50 million annually. This year, the budget for this program was further increased to $67 million a year, enabling us to help more families better and longer.
A healthy beginning in life is crucial and so is strong development throughout childhood. That is why the Ontario's Promise program is, in my opinion, potentially the single most significant initiative that our government has undertaken since we were re-elected about two years ago. I say this because, like President John F. Kennedy's Peace Corps idea, Ontario's Promise has the potential to light the fire of idealism and spirit of service throughout an entire generation of young people, benefiting our province for many years to come.
Ontario's Promise was launched in Toronto last fall by the Premier of Ontario and the Honourable Margaret Marland, minister responsible for children. I was privileged to be there as well as one of the towering world figures of our time, retired US General Colin Powell, endorsed our plan to bring businesses, non-profit agencies serving children, community leaders, parents and individuals together to make and keep five promises to the province's young people. This is what Ontario's Promise is all about: building partnerships for children and youth and making commitments to them that we keep.
The heart of Ontario's Promise is a set of five basic interlocking, mutually reinforcing promises. Essentially, we promise to connect every child in Ontario with the minimum requirements they need to grow up into confident, capable and contributing adult members of our society.
These are the five promises: first, a healthy start; second, an ongoing relationship with a caring adult -- a parent, mentor, tutor, coach or other responsible grown-up who is willing to take an interest in a child; third, a safe place with structured activities during non-school hours; fourth, marketable skills through an effective education; and fifth, an opportunity to give back through community service. By learning the satisfaction of serving others, young people can also learn to value themselves.
In my recent address to the Kitchener-Waterloo Chamber of Commerce, I appealed to business leaders to get involved, to encourage their employees to get involved, and to make a worthwhile difference in the lives of Ontario's children. I would like to suggest again, having raised this subject in the Legislature last fall, that all members support Ontario's Promise in any way that you can.
As the government looks ahead to how it can ensure that all people have access to high-quality health care, it is important to acknowledge strong leadership that has brought us to this vantage point. I want to acknowledge the vision and leadership of the former health minister, the member for Kitchener-Waterloo, who laid the groundwork for the greater efficiencies that are to be realized even as patient care has been improved. Our health dollars are spent as wisely as possible, and we have seen an unprecedented expansion of health care services in the province of Ontario. The health portfolio is, in my view, the single most challenging and difficult position in the cabinet. I wish the new minister the very best in his role in dealing with the challenges that await him as further efficiencies are found.
The Ontario Hospital Association president, David MacKinnon, was last week quoted in the Globe and Mail as saying, "Hospitals have deficits because they are serving more people who are ill, not because of irresponsible spending." To a substantial degree, I agree with Mr MacKinnon's statement. This is one of the perspectives the new minister must confront. In reality, there are increasing demands being placed on hospitals which must be met. At the same time, there should be no blank cheque in the system, and the taxpayers expect a streamlined health care system that is as affordable as it is widely available.
I am strongly supportive of the call in the throne speech to move toward a national dialogue on restoring the 50-50 funding principle on which medicare was founded in the 1960s. Members may recall that I brought forward a resolution in 1999 calling for a full restoration of the funds that the federal government had cut from health care. In practical terms, it called for a restoration of the funding cut through the Canada health and social transfers since 1994-95, as well as establishing the need for an escalator clause to ensure that funding increases will keep pace with increasing costs. That position was championed by the former health minister and was eventually adopted as policy by all of the provincial governments of Canada.
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A year and a week ago, this Legislature passed my resolution with support from all parties and, in the fall of 2000, on the very eve of a federal election, the government of Canada came forward with a partial restoration of their cuts to health care and social services.
Canadians expect the federal government to provide an appropriate and responsible level of support for health care. While the partial restoration of the Canada health and social transfer is appreciated, it has by no means closed this file.
In 1994-95, the federal share for health and social services in Ontario was 18 cents on the dollar. Even with the partial restoration of funding previously cut, today the federal share of health and social services in Ontario is a miserly 13 cents on the dollar. Clearly, more needs to be done to restore a fair apportionment of health costs between the provinces and the government of Canada.
The federal government was wise to name a former Premier of Saskatchewan, Roy Romanow, who I think all of us respect, to head a commission on the future of medicare. However, Ontario's system cannot wait until the end of the year 2002 when the commission is expected to conclude its deliberations.
As I conclude, I will end with a new beginning on behalf of my constituents in Waterloo-Wellington and mention how pleased I was last month to have been named as parliamentary assistant to the Minister of the Environment. I am thrilled with the new challenges that lie ahead as we move forward, and I hope to contribute in a positive way to a vision of an Ontario that is a world leader in the sustainable protection of our environment, where the ministry and the whole government act as a guardian, promoting better human health through practices which guarantee the best possible ways of protecting our air, our water and our land. These, I believe, are important steps to take if we are to uphold Ontario as the best place to live, work and raise a family now and for future generations. |
