Having faith in farmers and the future

NEWS RELEASE
Ted Arnott, MPP
Wellington – Halton Hills
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 19, 2011

Drive highway dollars according to need, not Liberal politics,
demands MPP Arnott
(Queen’s Park) – The Government of Ontario plans to spend over $2.1 billion on provincial highways
this year. How much of that money will go toward highways in Wellington-Halton Hills, and how
much will go toward highways in ridings held by Liberal MPPs?

That’s what Wellington-Halton Hills MPP Ted Arnott wanted to know in questions to Dwight Duncan,
the Minister of Finance and Acting Premier, on April 18.

“What assurance will the Acting Premier give this House that the decisions on highway projects will
be based on genuine, demonstrated needs and not determined by the requirements of the Liberal
seat-saver program?” Mr. Arnott asked in the Ontario Legislature.

Opposition MPPs refer to the “Liberal seat-saver program” as a way of calling attention to the
McGuinty government’s politically motivated decisions, intended to shore up support for weak
Liberal MPPs at risk of being defeated on October 6.

“Highway 6 from Guelph to Fergus was last resurfaced more than 15 years ago, and its condition is
now deplorable,” Mr. Arnott observed, saying it needs to be repaved this year. “And south of
Guelph, we need a bypass around Morriston in Puslinch Township, a project I’ve raised in this
House many times over the past three and a half years.”

Mr. Arnott continued:

“There are other urgent transportation priorities in our riding. For example, we need full traffic signal
lights at the intersection of Highway 7 and Jones Baseline in the township of Guelph-Eramosa. And I
just received a whole list of project needs from the town of Halton Hills that I will share with the
Minister of Transportation.”

The Minister of Transportation wasn’t in the Legislature at the time of Mr. Arnott’s question; that’s
why he directed it to the Minister of Finance and Acting Premier. But it’s just as well, says Mr.
Arnott, because the Minister of Finance presented the budget that funds the Ministry of
Transportation.

Mr. Arnott intends to follow up with the Minister of Transportation to press for the road and highway
priorities of his riding.

– 30 –

Ted Arnott, MPP
Phone: 416-325-3880
Email: ted.arnott@pc.ola.org

Ontario Hansard – 18-April2011
HIGHWAY IMPROVEMENT

Mr. Ted Arnott: My question is for the Acting Premier, the Minister of Finance. His budget papers
indicate that the Ministry of Transportation plans to spend over $2.1 billion on provincial highways
this year. Could the minister inform my constituents if he plans to spend any of that money on
Highway 6 through Wellington-Halton Hills? Or will he be using that money as a pre-election slush
fund for ridings currently held by Liberal MPPs?

Hon. Dwight Duncan: The Ministry of Transportation has an ordinal ranking of highway work to be
done in any given year. I will have to undertake to get back to the member on his specific question.
I will point out that some of the largest roadworks in the province are now going on in ridings held by
the opposition. These are done-
Interjection.

Hon. Dwight Duncan: My colleague reminds me of the road in Welland, for instance, which is a
very good example.
These priorities are set carefully. One thing that we can say with some certainty is that we believe in
these kinds of investments. Not only do they create jobs; they make a better economy. I look
forward to their plan for roads in the future.

The Speaker (Hon. Steve Peters): Supplementary?

Mr. Ted Arnott: Highway 6 from Guelph to Fergus was last resurfaced more than 15 years ago, and
its condition is now deplorable. It needs to be repaved this year. And south of Guelph, we need a
bypass around Morriston in Puslinch township, a project I’ve raised in this House many times over
the past three and a half years.
There are other urgent transportation priorities in our riding. For example, we need full traffic signal
lights at the intersection of Highway 7 and Jones Baseline in the township of Guelph-Eramosa. And I
just received a whole list of project needs from the town of Halton Hills that I will share with the
Minister of Transportation.
What assurance will the Acting Premier give this House that the decisions on highway projects will
be based on genuine, demonstrated needs and not determined by the requirements of the Liberal
seat-saver program?
1130

Hon. Dwight Duncan: That member and his party downloaded highways to municipalities. You cut
funding to highways. I’ll take you through these. Transit funding averaged less than $450 million a
year province-wide, and it varied annually by huge sums. You cancelled the Eglinton subway. You
averaged less than $670 million a year province-wide-about a third of what we’re doing. Just to give you another example: this year, in a Conservative-held riding, $320 million over three
years in Carleton-Mississippi Mills. Mind you, that might be a Liberal riding in the none-too-distant
future.
I can say to that member and the party opposite: no plan except to close hospitals, cut health
funding, cut education, download services to municipalities. We see-

The Speaker (Hon. Steve Peters): Thank you. New question.