Posted by Barrie Examiner on 6/11/2004, 4:48 pm, in reply to "Ontario budget imposes health care 'premium'" "We're the heart of Conservative Country now," said Simcoe North MPP Garfield Dunlop in the Orillia Packet & Times. "What's left of it." Keeping the triumphant Liberals painfully aware of the nine Conservative ridings, huddled together around Lake Simcoe and Georgian Bay, will be a challenge for surviving Tory MPPs in the next four or five years, said Dunlop. Mike Ramsay, Barrie-Simcoe-Bradford Liberal candidate said "We're like that player that gets injured and can't play in the championship game, but the team goes on and wins. We're left on the bench, in the stands, watching the team win the big game." "In Barrie, as in many growing, urban centres, the need for low-cost housing is acute" said the Barrie Advance. "The province must reinvest in this critical area to help low-income people find homes. Provincially, municipal transit systems struggle to keep up. Meanwhile, the highways and streets are clogged with commuters who have few options but their cars. Public transportation is good public policy. It needs investment, and the municipalities require help providing that investment." The strong showing of the Liberals, although not seen in Barrie-area ridings, is viewed as a positive omen by the administration of Royal Victoria Hospital. "The best way to sum it up," said spokesperson Paul Swain, "is we're very hopeful with the results of the election. We believe the new government is very aware of the critical health care issues in Barrie." And if there's any waffling, Swain says, "we can assure people of this area, we'll be camped out on their doorstep." Simcoe County District School Board chairperson Mary-Anne Wilson said the election results were "good news for the students of Simcoe County." Locally, Simcoe County public schools could realize up to another $42 million in funding if the Liberals follow through, Wilson said. "We all know Simcoe County's struggles have been more significant than other school boards," Wilson said. But with no Liberal MPPs from the region, will Queen's Park know? In McGuinty's cabinet and caucus, a big swath of Ontario centred on Barrie is unrepresented, due to no fault of McGuinty. Barrie--Simcoe--Bradford, Simcoe North, Simcoe--Grey, Bruce--Grey--Owen Sound, and the abutting ridings of Waterloo--Wellington, and Parry Sound--Muskoka are in a belt that elected only PCs, and don't even have cabinet ministers in adjoining ridings. Proportional representation on any regional model would have given the Liberals regional MPPs from this area, one of whom would no doubt be in cabinet. Proportional representation is not a partisan issue, but only those Ontario bellweather ridings like Barrie can make it one, by sending a message like Ontario Reform to Queen's Park!
The Barrie area, like every part of Ontario, thinks it needs even more from Queen's Park than other areas. But who will tell Queen's Park?
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