Unlocking the Potential…cont’d

My political affiliation is not to the Liberals, Conservatives, NDP, Green Party or for that matter any other political organization.  My only affiliation and loyalty is to you, the citizens of Thunder Bay and surrounding districts. This city and region should be the best small city in North America and yet in a city of over achievers we have never lived up to that potential. That has got to change!

Ask yourself what legacy will we leave to a younger generation if we bury them in debt?As the largest corporation we send mixed messages and foolishly support projects such as the industrial wind turbines that will forever alter the landscape on the most prominent geographical area in this region. They make no economic sense and I defy anyone to make the case based on facts! Click on the Sygration link under Energy and see for yourself how many hydro electric plants are idling while we pay massive subsidies for wind. We then turn to you the owners and say ante up a giant subsidy possibly 10 000 000 (10 million dollars) or more to an outside contractor who has never paid a dime in taxes to this city.Think of what we could do with that kind of money?

At what point will your bills overtake your mortgage? With the largest percentage of the population less than 5 years away from retirement how will you afford to stay in your home that you worked all your life for?

What provisions and job opportunities have we planned for so we can replenish our youth and revitalize our city? When I look at the city budget for 2010 our current debt is 178 000 000 (178 million dollars). So in the best ten years of the stock market where interest rates have been at an all time low our debt should have gone to zero, instead it has tripled!!

It’s simple economics 101, you can’t keep robbing Peter to pay Paul.

There are three levels of government with their hand in your pocket yet there is only one level of tax payer. They must think we all have a money tree outback to pay for their idiotic policies.

At the Federal Level how much has the Long Gun Registry Cost? Has it even saved one life? Think of the billions wasted on a project that you the tax payer said would never work.

At the Provincial Level what happened to the billions we spent on E-Health. All gone while the CEO was given a golden parachute of a million dollars?

Now at the Municipal Level we have a proposal to add electrical energy to a grid that is bursting at the seams with a surplus of green renewable energy from our hydro electric stations because of the crazy policies of a Premier who is trying to put every small and large corporation at a major competitive disadvantage. Have we lost our minds?

We are blessed with clean 100% reliable 24/7 power. Remember when the massive black out hit the eastern part of North America? Whose lights were still on? Every person from Wawa to the Manitoba border who relies on hydro electric power which you and I payed for through our monthly hydro. When they restarted the eastern part of the grid which energy source was the last to be let back on, did you say wind!! It only works when the wind blows, on average about  20% of the time so why would we switch from a 100% reliable power supply to a 20% power supply that needs massive subsidies?

I’ll tell you why. It’s a transfer of wealth!! From your pocket to that of a private investment firm from god knows where.

The definition of a subsidy. That’s where you rob the poor taxpayer and give to the rich investment firm. They can make a 20% return on their investment and you get screwed.

So how long are you willing to back a mayor who sits in silence while every residence in this city is about to pay that subsidy?

Ask any senior or person about to retire on a fixed income where they are going to get extra money that they don’t already have? Then ask yourself why are we letting this happen.

This city is yours, if the people you elected don’t want to listen, then do what Donald Trump does best. Tell them they’re fired!! Every last councilor who supports this proposal  including the mayor who sits in silence.

On October 25th you have a chance to make a positive difference, vote Jeff Irwin as Your Next Mayor and start the process of unlocking the potential of Thunder Bay into the best small city in North America!!

Thank you and God bless.