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•Th e IFP• H alton H ills, Thursday, O ctober 23, 2014 7 HEATING COOLING BOILERS RADIANT HEAT GAS LINES WATER HEATERS WWW.BROOKS HEATING AND AIR.CA Don't be left in the Cold Install a new Furnace & AC now for only $119/month* and don't pay until Spring 2015 *price based OAC • Truck Accessories • Upholstery • Heavy Equipment Glass •Window Tinting 354 Guelph Street, Georgetown 905-873-1655 We handle all insurance work. • your window & door professionals • 341 Guelph St., Unit 3 Georgetown 905.873.0236 www.buy-wise.ca info@buy-wise.ca • awarded readers choice 22 times • Visit our showroom 7 COMMENT The way we were The Beaumont House in Glen Williams was once home to Sam Beaumont, who owned the Beaumont Knitting Mill located further along Main Street in Glen Williams. A grand history 'While this is encouraging, we know that there is always room for growth.' -- HCDSB Director Paula Dawson... see story pg. 10 Marinus Pater sent in this photo of Halton Hills in all its fall glory. Pater is an amateur nature photogra- pher. He is retired from de Havilland Aircraft Compa- ny and lives in Halton Hills. Got a photo you want to share? email cgamble@theifp.ca AUTUMN'S GLORY From our readers 'Quote unquote' MaRS more Liberal red ink If you've heard of MaRS in the news media recently, you likely thought at first that they were talking about Earth's neighbour, the red planet. After reading this, you will wish it was so. In actual fact, it was most likely a reference to the latest Liberal spend- ing boondoggle, and more Liberal red ink. MaRS stands for Medical and Re- lated Sciences. It started off a few years ago as an interesting idea to cre- ate an innovation cluster in downtown Toronto, where scientific research might lead to new discov- eries that could be mar- keted commercially. Not content with the initial success of MaRS, the Liberal Government decided to build MaRS "phase 2," supported by a $224 million loan from Infrastructure Ontario, a provincial crown agency. That led to the con- struction of a 20-storey office tower across the road from Queen's Park, which now stands al- most 70 per cent empty. Because it can't attract enough ten- ants to fill its vacant space, MaRS has defaulted on its loan to the province. The government wants to spend $65 million of our money to buy out their U.S.-based real estate partner, so they can reduce the rents and attract tenants. At the same time, another arm of the government, the Ministry of Re- search and Innovation, has begun paying the interest on the MaRS loan. The cost to taxpayers: $450,000 a month. Recently, it came to light that the government deliberately changed the rules in 2010 to allow for the MaRS loan. Previously, Infrastructure Ontar- io loans were intended primarily to be a source of financing for much needed municipal infrastructure projects. And despite our efforts at commit- tee hearings in recent days, the gov- ernment is stonewalling and refusing to disclose relevant documentation re- lated to Infrastructure Ontario's loan to MaRS. Most troubling of all, the minis- ter responsible for MaRS refuses to divulge the upper limit of what the government is prepared to pay going forward into the MaRS money pit. When it comes to MaRS, the sky may be the limit. After eHealth, the can- celled gas plants and the Ornge air ambulance de- bacles, has the Liberal government not learned a thing? ***** On Oct. 20, the Ontario Legislature resumed sit- ting in this, the first ses- sion of the 41st Provincial Parliament. While the recall of the Legislature was later this fall than usual, it's worth noting that the House sat for several weeks dur- ing the summer after the June 12 pro- vincial election. As our Party's Critic to the Minis- ter of Economic Development, In- frastructure and Employment, and as one of the Legislature's assistant Speakers, I expect to be kept very busy. However, as always, the concerns of the people of Wellington-Halton Hills must come first. ***** One of our outstanding community leaders, Ward 2 Councillor Joan Rob- son, announced recently that after 14 years on Town Council, she would not be seeking re-election on Oct. 27. -- Ted Arnott is the MPP for Wellington-Halton Hills TED ARNOTT