Chris Savard

Chris Savard writes a bi-weekly column for the Seaway News.
The following is his column for the June 15, 2007 paper.

Cornwall - June 15, 2007

Over the last two years, our party has focused on listening and reaching out to all Ontarians to create an important foundation for our Party's policy development leading up to the next election. Residents from our riding have participated in this process at grass-roots policy sessions, like the one hosted in Morrisburg earlier in 2006, or by representing our riding at the policy conference held in Niagara Falls in February 2006.

John Tory rolled out our party’s ideas on investing in stronger communities; on fairness for you and your family; on how we can make government work better for you; and how we can build a better Ontario. These are ideas at the core of the full platform that John Tory and I will take to the people during this election.

In listening to people, we know that they want three very basic things from their government: trust, competence and fairness. We believe that you earn trust by being straight with people and by keeping your word. You demonstrate competence through good management and good planning. And finally, you show fairness in both how well you listen and how well you lead.

People in our riding and all across this province know that leadership matters, and they are very much aware of why it is time for a new Ontario Government.

It is time for a new government:

• When business people spend more time on government paperwork than they do on making their products.
• When hard-working farmers, and small town residents are worried about their children’s future.
• When doctors, nurses and patients explain that despite a massive, regressive “health” tax, waitlists are longer and our health care system remains generations behind in technology that could cut wait times, improve care and save lives.
• When parents raising children with autism have to sue the government and shame the Premier into keeping even part of his promise of fair funding.
• When we see an environment that is more polluted as a direct result of broken promises and government inaction.
• When Ontario has lost its historic role as a leader among other provinces.

I look forward to sharing John Tory’s and our party’s vision for a better Ontario over the next four months. Over the coming weeks, I will be writing this column on specific parts of the PC platform and the kind of leadership that our government will bring to Ontario. As I begin my door canvass in all corners of Stormont-Dundas-South Glengarry, I welcome the opportunity to discuss the issues that are of concern to you.

We will not pretend that we have all the answers, and we will not make promises that we cannot keep Rather, we will tell it like it is and keep our word. We will be accountable to the people we serve, and we will plan carefully to make Ontario better for our children.

Our future in Stormont-Dundas-South Glengarry is limited only by our imagination and willingness to work hard. This new future starts with an optimistic view and by delivering on promises made.