Tories hope
to make Grits
feel the heat
richard.mahoney@eap.on.ca
H AWKESBURY
Taxes and hydro.
Those are the two issues that have
Glengarry-Prescott-Russell voters steaming
this summer, says Conservative candidate
Marilissa Gosselin.
The first-time hopeful is confident that
two hot topics will help the Conservatives
regain the riding theLiberalshaveheldsince
1981.
Time-of-use premiums on hydro rates
have forced many consumers to alter their
Photo Richard Mahoney
habits, notes Gosselin. “I have heard that
Glengarry-Prescott-Russell Conservative candidate Marilissa Gosselin and Nepean-
some people have installed timers on their
Carleton M.P.P. Lisa MacLeod during a visit to Hawkesbury last week.
fridgesandfreezers”inordertoavoidhigher
rates that are applied during peak-demand
the October 6 election.
This latest move is an insult to Ontario
periods, she says.
During the latest visit, theywerewarning
families who are already paying
If elected October 6, a Conservative
Grant Crack
voters about McGuinty’s “secret plan” to
skyrocketing hydro bills. Under Dalton
government would make smart meters
raise taxes.
McGuinty hydro rates have skyrocketed by
Grits try to
optional.
Gosselinfiredoff another salvothisweek.
84% - a whopping 150% if you have one of
Asked why the Tories would not simply
“Earlier this year the Liberals misled
DaltonMcGuinty’s mandatory smart meter
eliminate the smart meters completely,
voters and said itwould cost toomuch toget
tax machines.”
Nepean-Carleton M.P.P. Lisa MacLeod
outofMcGuinty’ssweetheartSamsungdeal,
Annual electricity bills are expected to
extend streak
concedes, “Some people do like them.”
but when the Liberals finally released the
increase by $732 over the next four years as
However, she and Gosselin quickly add
dealthisweekwelearnedtheprovincecould
a result of Dalton McGuinty’s HST, smart
newsroom@eap.on.ca
that most consumers are not pleased with
havegotoutofthedealfornothing.However,
meter tax machine implementation, and
S T
-I SIDORE
the time-of-use restrictions. Businesses and
last week Dalton McGuinty thumbed his
other rate increases, say the Conservatives.
farmersareparticularly frustrated, observes
noseatOntario families andchangedall that
The PCs promise to give families $275 in
Gosselin.
when he secretly changed the contracts to
immediate relief on their hydro bills by
Thecampaignfor theheartsandvotesof
PrimeMinisterDaltonMcGuinty isout of
make itmoreexpensive for families tocancel
removing the provincial portion of the HST
Glengarry-Prescott-Russell electors has
touchwith theproblems facedbyOntarians,
the Samsung deal and secretly pushed
from residential hydro, home heating,
begun in earnest now that the Liberals
argues MacLeod.
through 1,800 other projects. Dalton
natural gas and propane bills, and by
have chosen their standard bearer.
When she recently asked how much his
McGuinty is trying to cement his legacy:
removing the “Debt Retirement Charge”
NorthGlengarryTownshipMayorGrant
household pays for electricity, the Premier
makinglifeunaffordableforOntariofamilies.
from residential hydro bills.
Crack will attempt to keep the Grits’ three-
refused to answer.
decade winning streak going after he
“The Premier does not know what his
defeated Gerry Bertrand and Claude Levac
hydro bill is,” says MacLeod.
Water heater rental advisory
to win the Liberal nomination last week in
Busy, hard-working consumers do not
St-Isidore
appreciate the energy-saving advice offered
The Editor,
Crack will be campaigning against
by McGuinty.
A number of residents have expressed concerns to me about water heater rental
Conservative Marilissa Gosselin and New
“The Premier has suggested that people
agreements. The Ontario ministry of consumer services is aware of an increase in
Democratic Party candidate Bonnie Jean-
do their laundry on weekends. That is the
complaints andhas issuedaconsumer alert on theirwebsiteprovidingconsumers tips and
Louis in the October 6 election that will
height of arrogance to try to tell people how
advice on how to protect themselves. http://www.sse.gov.on.ca/mcs/en/Pages/
decide who will succeed Liberal incumbent
theyshouldlive their lives,”statesMacLeod.
Consumer_Alert_Water_Heater.aspx
Jean-Marc Lalonde as the region’s
Gosselin andMacLeod have been taking
I’d like to remind consumers that they shouldbewary about signing agreements on the
representative at Queen’s Park for the next
regular tours of the riding in the run-up to
spot and that consumers may cancel an agreement (without reason) signed in their home
four years. For Crack, whohas served a total
at any time from the date of entering into an agreement until 10 days after receiving a
of 11 years as mayor of the township, this is
written copy of the agreement. I urge consumerswho feel that theymayhave beenmisled
the first time he has run a riding-wide
or pressured into signing a water heater rental agreement to contact the Ministry’s
campaign. The sameholds true forGosselin,
Consumer Protection Branch for help at 1-800-889-9768/416-326-8800 or online at
anEmbrunaccountantwho is seekingpublic
www.ontario.ca/consumerservices. Ontario’s Consumer Protection Act, 2002 protects
office for the first time. But she is no political
consumerswhoenterintodoor-to-dooragreementsbysettingoutrulesforthoseagreements.
novice.
These rules include the obligation to clearly disclose key information including costs and
Besides serving as Ontario PC riding
a statement of consumers’ rights. The public can search the Ministry’s online Consumer
associationpresident inGlengarry-Prescott-
BewareList at http://www.consumerbeware.mgs.gov.on.ca/. The list posts information
Russell, she has helped manage federal
aboutbusinesses,includingwaterheatercompanies,basedoncertainconsumercomplaints,
campaigns. She is married to FredDeLorey,
outstanding charges and convictions. The Consumer Beware List is a great tool for
chief spokesperson for the Conservative
checking the track record of a company before you consider doing business with it.
Party of Canada. Bonnie Jean-Louis has just
Do not feel embarrassed about protecting yourself. If you feel threatened in any way,
launched his fourth election campaign. The
ask the seller to leave. If you are at all suspicious that it may be scam, call your local police.
community activist ran twice for a
Before signing any contract – ensure that you have a written confirmation of the total
Hawkesbury councillor’s post, in 2006 and
amount you’ll be billed on a monthly basis. If you would like more information on this
2010, and as a representative of the Green
issue please contact my office at (613) 446-4010.
Party in the 2006 federal elections.
ThecampaignofficiallybeginsSeptember
M.P.P. J EAN -M ARC L ALONDE , G LENGARRY -P RESCOTT -R USSELL
7when thewrit falls.Traditionally, theNDP
has run third in local elections. However, in
Back to school August 29
the last provincial vote, theNewDemocrats
lost ground to the Green Party.
newsroom@eap.on.ca
In the 2007 election, Lalonde was re-
Monday, August 29 is the first day of school for about 22,000 students attending
elected with 24,525, or 60 per cent of all
French-language schools in the region. However, about 46,000 of their English-speaking
ballots cast. Conservative candidate Denis
counterparts return to the classrooms a week later.
Pommainvillereceived11,018,or27percent,
August 29 signals the start of a new school year for students at the Conseil scolaire de
Green Party candidate Karolyne Pickett,
district catholique de l’Est ontarien’s French-language Catholic schools and at public
2,348, or 5.8 per cent, NDP hopeful Josée
schools administered by the Conseil des écoles publiques de l’est de l’Ontario. The
Blanchette, 2,301, or 5.7 per cent, while
CSDCEO has a network of 38 French-language schools in the five counties, administering
Family Coalition member Vicky Gunn got
30 elementary and eight secondary schools in Prescott-Russell and Stormont-Dundas-
339votes. Liberalshavereignedintheriding
Glengarry. Total enrolment is 11,000 students. TheCEPEO, whichoperates 37 schools, also
since1981whenDonBoudriadefeatedAlbert
has an enrolment of about 11,000 pupils, however, its jurisdiction is much larger than that
Bélanger inwhat was then Prescott-Russell.
of the CSDCEO. September 6 is back to school for about 46,000 English-language students
Jean Poirier succeeded Boudria when he
in the district. The day after Labour Day, classes resume for the 31,000 students enrolled in
was elected Glengarry-Prescott-Russell MP
the 74 elementary and 22 secondary schools administered by the Upper Canada District
in1984.WhenPoirier steppeddown in1995,
School Board. September 6 alsomarks a resumptionof studies for the 15,000 students at the
he was succeeded by Lalonde.
Bonnie Jean-Louis
40 elementary and ten secondary schools run by the Catholic District School Board of
The riding was re-aligned in 1999.
NDP hopeful is a veteran campaigner
Eastern Ontario.
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