The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

12 Independent & Free Press,Thursday, September 29, 2011 Your Halton Connection Oct. 2011 www.halton.ca Your vote helps shape Halton's future by Regional Chair Gary Carr The October 6 provincial election is only days away. Through our advocacy platform, A Strong Halton for a Strong Ontario ­ Partners for the Future, Halton Region is informing the community and local candidates about the challenges facing the Region and what Halton requests of the next Provincial government. Today more than 500,000 people live in Halton Region. The Provincial Places to Grow Plan mandates that Halton's population must increase to accommodate 780,000 people by the year 2031. When I talk to citizens in the community, I am often asked how Halton's Regional Council can help ensure that growth pays for itself. Throughout this campaign, we have been clear that the extensive growth targets set by the Province must have adequate funding for infrastructure. The combined municipal-provincial infrastructure needs of Halton to 2031 are expected to reach approximately $8.6 billion. Our position is that sustainable and long term predictable funding is needed ­ to build as well as to maintain our infrastructure ­ so that Halton taxpayers do not bear the burden of growth. Ensuring provincial funding for public health and social services keeps pace with growth is another issue of critical importance to the Region. Administration and funding of services such as Emergency Medical Services (EMS), child care, housing and social assistance was downloaded to municipal governments in the previous decade. Regional Council advocated to upload the cost of services back to the Province and end GTA regional municipalities having to pay for Toronto social services from GTA pooling dollars. The current Provincial government responded with the Provincial-Municipal Fiscal and Service Delivery Review, agreeing that GTA pooling will be phased out, costs for the Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP) and drug benefits would be uploaded in 2011 and costs for Ontario Works and court security would be fully uploaded to the Province by 2018. Halton Region wants the next Provincial government to honour this commitment. On October 6, please remember to vote ­ your vote helps shape Halton's future. Together we can ensure that Halton remains a great place to live, work, raise a family and retire. Visit our website www.halton.ca/ontarioelection2011 and read the responses from local candidates about how they would resolve issues facing Halton. Halton's questions for provincial election candidates Q: &MUÏUGJJÏWMSÏ?LBÏWMSPÏEMTCPLKCLRÏCLQSPCÏRF?RÏ GLDP?QRPSARSPCÏDSLBGLEÏNPMEP?KQÏ?PCÏR?PECRCBÏRMÏ ?AAMKKMB?RCÏEPMURFÏGLÏ&?JRMLÏRMÏÏ?QÏK?LB?RCBÏ @WÏRFCÏ.J?ACQÏRMÏ%PMUÏ.J?L Q: 5F?RÏUGJJÏWMSÏ?LBÏWMSPÏEMTCPLKCLRÏBMÏRMÏ CLQSPCÏRF?RÏQSQR?GLCBÏDSLBGLEÏCVGQRQÏDMPÏPCEGML?JÏ GLDP?QRPSARSPCÏPCLCU?JÏGLÏ&?JRMLÏ?QÏUCJJÏ?QÏ GLDP?QRPSARSPCÏCVN?LQGMLÏDMPÏNPMTGLAG?JJWÏDSLBCBÏ GLQRGRSRGMLQÏQSAFÏ?QÏFMQNGR?JQ Q: &MUÏUGJJÏWMSÏ?LBÏWMSPÏEMTCPLKCLRÏUMPIÏ RMU?PBÏ?KCLBGLEÏRFCÏ"CTCJMNKCLRÏ!F?PECQÏARÏ ?LBÏMRFCPUGQCÏCLQSPCÏRF?RÏ&?JRMLÏ0CEGMLÏK?WÏ PCAMTCPÏRFCÏDSJJÏAMQRQÏMDÏEPMURFÏGLAJSBGLEÏ%-Ï2P?LQGRÏ BCTCJMNKCLR Q: &MUÏUGJJÏWMSÏ?LBÏWMSPÏEMTCPLKCLRÏFMLMSPÏ?LBÏ CVNCBGRCÏRFCÏRP?LQGRÏNPMHCARQÏNPMKGQCBÏDMPÏ&?JRMLÏ 0CEGMLÏGLÏ+MTC-LR?PGMÏÏ?LBÏRFCÏ+CRPMJGLVÏ 0CEGML?JÏ2P?LQNMPR?RGMLÏ.J?LÏlÏ2FCÏ GEÏ+MTC Q: &MUÏUGJJÏWMSÏ?LBÏWMSPÏEMTCPLKCLRÏCLQSPCÏRFCÏ NPMRCARGMLÏMDÏRFCÏ,G?E?P?Ï#QA?PNKCLRÏ?LBÏ?EPGASJRSP?JÏ J?LBQÏDPMKÏOS?PPWÏCVN?LQGMLÏ?LBÏRFCÏ,G?E?P?Ì%2Ï?LBÏ %2Ï5CQRÏ!MPPGBMPQÏ Q: 5F?RÏUGJJÏWMSPÏEMTCPLKCLRÏBMÏRMÏCLQSPCÏÍL?LAGLEÏ GQÏQCASPCBÏ?LBÏRFCÏAJC?LÏSNÏMDÏ0?LBJCÏ0CCDÏGQÏ AMKNJCRCB Q: &MUÏUGJJÏWMSÏ?LBÏWMSPÏEMTCPLKCLRÏ?QQGQRÏ&?JRMLÏ GLÏ?RRP?ARGLEÏ?LBÏPCR?GLGLEÏ@SQGLCQQCQÏUFGJCÏAPC?RGLEÏ FGEFÏOS?JGRWÏHM@QÏGLÏ&?JRML Q: &MUÏUGJJÏWMSÏ?LBÏWMSPÏEMTCPLKCLRÏUMPIÏ UGRFÏ&?JRMLÏRMÏPCQMJTCÏ#+1ÏMDÎM?BÏBCJ?WQÏCLQSPCÏ RF?RÏRFCÏÏAMQRÏQF?PGLEÏ@CRUCCLÏRFCÏ.PMTGLACÏ ?LBÏ+SLGAGN?JGRGCQÏGQÏKCRÏ?LBÏUMPIÏRMU?PBÏRFCÏ CQR?@JGQFKCLRÏMDÏ?ÏKSLGAGN?JJWÏK?L?ECBÏPCEGML?JÏ BGQN?RAFÏACLRPCÏDSLBCBÏ@WÏRFCÏ.PMTGLAC Q: 5GJJÏWMSÏ?LBÏWMSPÏEMTCPLKCLRÏFMLMSPÏRFCÏ .PMTGLAG?JÌ+SLGAGN?JÏ$GQA?JÏ?LBÏ1CPTGACÏ"CJGTCPWÏ 0CTGCUÏEPCCKCLR Q: &MUÏUGJJÏWMSÏ?LBÏWMSPÏEMTCPLKCLRÏKMTCÏDMPU?PBÏ MLÏRFCÏNPMTGLAG?JÏAMKKGRKCLRÏRMÏAMLQMJGB?RCÏFMSQGLEÏ ?LBÏFMKCJCQQLCQQÏNPMEP?KQÏUGRFMSRÏGLASPPGLEÏEPC?RCPÏ AMQRQÏDMPÏ&?JRMLÏ0CEGMLÏ Q: &MUÏUGJJÏWMSÏ?LBÏWMSPÏEMTCPLKCLRÏUMPIÏUGRFÏRFCÏ $CBCP?JÏEMTCPLKCLRÏRMÏCLQSPCÏRF?RÏRFCÏLCUÏDDMPB?@JCÏ &MSQGLEÏ$P?KCUMPIÏÏlÏÏNPMTGBCQÏ?QQGQR?LACÏ DMPÏ&?JRMLÏ0CEGMLÏRMÏ@SGJBÏ?LBÏPCF?@GJGR?RCÏQMAG?JÏ FMSQGLEÏ Q: 5GJJÏWMSÏ?LBÏWMSPÏEMTCPLKCLRÏK?GLR?GLÏMPÏ CLF?LACÏRFCÏASPPCLRÏJCTCJÏMDÏ CQRÏ1R?PRÏDSLBGLEÏRMÏ QSNNMPRÏ&?JRMLhQÏAFGJBPCLÏSLRGJÏRFCÏ#?PJWÏ*C?PLGLEÏ?LBÏ !FGJBÏ!?PCÏNPMEP?KÏGQÏDSJJWÏGKNJCKCLRCBÏ5GJJÏWMSÏ ?LBÏWMSPÏEMTCPLKCLRÏCVRCLBÏ?LBÏQSQR?GLÏRFCÏ#?PJWÏ *C?PLGLEÏ?LBÏ!FGJBÏ!?PCÏNPMEP?KÏDSLBGLEÏRMÏKCCRÏ &?JRMLhQÏDSRSPCÏBCK?LBÏDMPÏAFGJBÏA?PCÏQN?ACQ Q: PCÏWMSÏUGJJGLEÏRMÏTMRCÏ?E?GLQRÏWMSPÏN?PRWhQÏ NJ?RDMPKÏMLÏGQQSCQÏ?DDCARGLEÏ&?JRMLÏ0CEGML The candidate responses to these questions are posted online www.halton.ca/ontarioelection2011. 2FCÏ0CEGML?JÏ+SLGAGN?JGRWÏMDÏ&?JRMLÏkÏÏ PMLRCÏ0B Ï-?ITGJJCÏ-LR?PGMÏ*+Ï* "G?JÏÏMPÏÌÌÏkÏ2MJJÏDPCCÏÌÌÌÏkÏ227ÏÌÌÏkÏUUU F?JRML A? 5CÏUCJAMKCÏWMSPÏDCCB@?AI Ï!MLR?ARÏAACQQÏ&?JRMLÏ?RÏ?AACQQF?JRMLF?JRML A? Ï 2FGQÏN?ECÏF?QÏ@CCLÏBML?RCBÏ@WÏRFGQÏLCUQN?NCPÏRMÏAMKKSLGA?RCÏGKNMPR?LRÏGLDMPK?RGMLÏRMÏ&?JRMLÏPCQGBCLRQÏ?RÏLMÏAMQRÏRMÏR?VN?WCPQ Halton Region Meeting Schedule Oct. 5, 9:30 a.m. 0CEGML?JÏ!MSLAGJ Oct. 10Ï -DDGACQÏAJMQCBÏDMPÏ2F?LIQEGTGLE Oct. 18, 9:30 a.m.Ï &C?JRFÏ Ï1MAG?JÏ1CPTGACQÏ!RC Oct. 19, 9:30 a.m. Ï .J?LLGLEÏ Ï.S@JGAÏ5MPIQÏ!RC Oct. 19, 1:30 p.m. BKGLGQRP?RGMLÏ Ï$GL?LACÏ!RC +CCRGLEQÏA?LÏ@CÏTGCUCBÏ?RÏwww.halton.ca .JC?QCÏJCRÏSQÏILMUÏ?QÏQMMLÏ?QÏNMQQG@JCÏ GDÏWMSÏUGJJÏF?TCÏ?LÏ?AACQQG@GJGRWÏMPÏ ?AAMKKMB?RGMLÏLCCBÏ?RÏ?Ï&?JRMLÏ 0CEGMLÏFMQRCBÏCTCLRÏMPÏKCCRGLE