Dear Editor:
I am writing to express my concerns over the Wellington-Halton Hills PC candidate Joseph Racinsky declining to participate in any all-candidates meetings in this election.
It would appear that Racinsky is worried about having to answer questions off the cuff and would prefer to speak from a prepared script. This behaviour does not bode well for the residents of Wellington-Halton Hills if Racinsky is elected as our MPP for it will only mean this area will continue to have no representation at the provincial level.
Racinsky has highlighted two key planks in his election platform: continue the advocacy of current MPP Ted Arnott and building infrastructure.
Voters in Halton have expressed frustration for years over the lack of personal representation due to Arnott’s role as speaker (the role requires that representative to remain objective.) While Arnott forwarded our concerns to other MPPs or ministers, I have never even had an acknowledgement from any of those copied on my concerns.
If this is the level of advocacy Racinsky wants to continue, it seems fair to think that the residents will continue to have no representation at Queen’s Park if this riding stays “blue.”
Then there is the matter of building infrastructure. It might interest voters to know that Racinsky declared a conflict of interest at the Jan. 20 Halton Hills council meeting regarding a request for the redistribution of the provincial land transfer tax and GST to municipalities for sustainable infrastructure funding.
It was extremely irresponsible and hypocritical of Racinsky to declare a conflict of interest on this resolution, which would help tremendously in mitigating matters related to increases in the Halton Hills budget. He then went on to repeatedly criticize the budget increase for the town.
He basically abdicated his responsibility to Ward 2 Halton Hills residents and taxpayers in favour of a potential outcome because at this stage Racinsky was still one of three nominees for the riding. His action was extremely premature. He was elected by voters to represent Ward 2 residents in Halton Hills, not to put his own interests over the residents when it suited him.
Then, in a stunning turn of events, there was no meeting to elect a candidate and Racinsky was handpicked by Ford.
Voters, look carefully at Racinsky and his promises and campaign literature. The points in his campaign brochure appear to be common points for all of Ontario, ignoring the unique communities of Wellington-Halton Hills.
We don’t need a “one-size-fits-all” representative. We need someone who will listen to and fight for the concerns of the people who live in this riding.
Susan Cox,
Limehouse