PC candidate Jones launches campaign

Caledon's Don Lobb and Gloria Sargent examine one of several large displays promoting Sylvia Jones and her Progressive Conservative campaign team at the launch of her campaign.

Although the Ontario election is still more than six months away and she currently has no opponent, Sylvia Jones has launched her campaign to succeed Progressive Conservative leader John Tory as the MPP representing Dufferin and Caledon.

Chosen as the PC standard-bearer over five rivals two months ago, Jones is out to become only the second woman ever to represent this area in the Legislature and the first from her party. (Liberal Mavis Wilson won Dufferin- Peel, which had boundaries similar to those of the new Dufferin-Caledon riding, in 1987.)

More than 150 party faithful were on hand at Monora Pavilion March 26 for the launch, which coincided with the second annual meeting of the Dufferin-Caledon PC riding association.

The candidate's brief speech included three themes: the status of the party's provincial campaign; introduction of the team that has agreed to run the Dufferin-Caledon campaign, and "what I need you to do."

Currently Tory's local executive assistant, she said the party leader "has been working around the clock and across Ontario to let voters know there is an alternative to (Liberal Premier) Dalton McGuinty."

She said the province "needs strong leadership, and John Tory is that leader."

Jones said that with the release of the government's latest budget, "we now know that since the Liberals took office in 2003, spending has increased by $22 billion. That's an increase of $4,500 per household since Dalton McGuinty became premier."

She asked rhetorically: "Are we seeing the benefits of that spending? Are waiting lists any shorter in the emergency room? Do you have a family doctor? Is traffic moving any faster through Caledon Village? Is agriculture in Ontario any stronger now than it was three and a half years ago? Are manufacturing jobs any more secure in today's economy?," and provided an answer:

"In a province-by- province comparison, Ontario had the second-worst economic performance in Canada in 2006. Only Prince Edward Island's economy did worse than Ontario last year. We deserve better results."

She said that in recent weeks Tory had announced "some very specific measures on where Ontario should be headed," among them a commitment to fund Intensive Behavioural Intervention (IBI) therapy for autistic children beyond the age of 6, which McGuinty once promised but never provided.

He had also committed a PC government to limiting the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation's ability to raise assessments to 5% annually.

"Many of us have seen MPAC increases that are out of control. I spoke to someone last week who lives in Mulmur. They replaced a deck on their home - replaced, not added to. MPAC's re-assessment? A 40 per cent increase. For a deck!

There would also be "a new reverse onus appeal system so that MPAC will have to justify an assessment increase instead of placing the burden of proof on the homeowner." A third change would be an end to the current policy that penalizes farmers who build added-value production services to their operations.

In announcing her campaign team, she said there had already been a lot of local activity preparing for the October 10 election.

Noting that the team is headed by Doug Harkness and Kathy Boynton, she added: "I know that you will be impressed with how these two implement ideas and get things done."

Since her nomination in January, she had been attending meetings and events throughout the riding. "I want to engage people across Dufferin-Caledon in a conversation about why we deserve better results."

Describing the local riding as "being ignored by Dalton McGuinty," she said separate studies by three organizations showed that in all but one area of health care, "Dufferin and Caledon are dead last in funding when compared to 14 regions across Ontario."

She ended with a warning that the only way Tory would be able to implement his ideas "is if we elect him Premier on October 10th," adding: "My job, and your job, is to start the conversation with your neighbours and friends. ... I need your help to make the connections, open the doors and start the conversations."

Earlier, the audience heard that the association has $32,000 in the bank and about 2,200 current members. Association president Wayne Innis, his executive and the association's directors were all returned to office.