BarrieToday welcomes letters to the editor at [email protected]. Please include your full name, daytime phone number and address (for verification of authorship, not publication). The following is in response to 'LETTER: Dunlop says 'heartbreaking reality' spawned Bill 23,' published Dec. 22, and 'LETTER: Dunlop's response to Bill 23 criticism 'deeply flawed',' published Jan. 4.
I would first like to thank Janet Campbell of Orillia for her excellent response to Simcoe North MPP Jill Dunlop’s submission. She wrote the letter that I’ve been trying to write — and did a much better job than I ever would have. I have no idea who Ms. Campbell is, but if she ever decides to run for office, sign me up.
Since there is so little left to say on the subject (of what a travesty Bill 23 is), I’ll be brief. One of the reasons for creating these Greenbelt areas was to stop urban sprawl. I seem to recall the slogan “grow up, not out.” This bill, basically a handout to developers, will do exactly the opposite.
Finally, let’s be clear. Jill Dunlop should no more be blamed for the content of the letter you printed than she should be praised for its style. She can and should be blamed, however, for supporting Bill 23 and allowing the letter to be mailed over her signature.
The letter her office sent was simply a collection of all the same Progressive Conservative party talking points that every member received from their PR staff and that ran in other Ontario community newspapers as ads or public service announcements. Indeed, with the exception of a personal line or two, that were almost certainly written by her communications staff, Dunlop’s letter is a direct lift from the PC communications package.
And thus another page from the Doug Ford Progressive Conservative party playbook is revealed: Never make a statement, write a document, send a letter or (heaven forbid) attend a public meeting where you might be called upon to express an opinion, unless it has all been reviewed, sanitized and approved by the premier’s office.
Wilf Argue
Midland
