THUNDER BAY – Tuesday evening, in the Blake Community Hall, Thunder Bay-Atikokan PC Candidate Fred Gilbert held a Town Hall meeting. Some of the issues raised included ending bureacratic red tape, land-use planning, and hydro rates. Frustration over civil servants from southern Ontario making decisions that hinder development in the north.
“The Neebing Town Hall meeting provided voters with an opportunity to inform me of their concerns. There are many issues that have been aggravations to rural residents as a result of Liberal policies better designed for southern Ontario than the north,” shared Fred Gilbert, Thunder Bay-Atikokan PC candidate.
Dr. Gilbert addressed comments from attendees in his typically honest manner. Years of experience in education showed up as Gilbert also was able to disagree with audience members when warranted. Gilbert assured residents that their voices will be heard at Queen’s Park. “A Tim Hudak government gives Northern Ontario a voice at Queen’s Park and at least once a year, the decision-makers will hold their caucus meetings in Northern Ontario,” stated Gilbert.
On the issue of hydro rates, Gilbert schooled the audience on the contrast between the PC platform and the New Democratic Party Platform. “In Changebook, the Ontario PCs were the first and only party to announce an immediate elimination of the provincial portion from hydro bills. The NDP, have said it wouldn’t be an immediate promise and would be deducted in four years after the Liberal rebate ends”.
Addressing concerns that the Liberals have been implementing decisions from southern Ontario on the North, Gilbert noted, “The Ontario PCs were also the first to unveil a northern platform Changebook North showing its commitment to addressing northern concerns. The NDP didn’t reveal its northern platform until months later, and the Liberals unveiled their northern policies in southern Ontario”.