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Thursday, D ecem ber 3, 2015 - The IFP - H alton H ills - w w w .theifp.ca Page 7We offer EMERGENCY SERVICE 24 hr 7 days a week 905-877-3100 www.BrooksHeatingAndAir.ca • Truck Accessories • Upholstery • Heavy Equipment Glass •Window Tinting 354 Guelph Street, Georgetown 905-873-1655 We handleall insurance work. Time to Move? Call Derek CallDerek.ca 905-877-8262 Derek Dunphy Sales Representative COMMENT The first snow of Fall 2015 in Georgetown on Nov. 23 was captured by photographer Simone Garland. Have a photo you want to share? Email -- with details please -- to cgamble@theifp.ca. WINTER'S KNOCKING ON THE DOOR From our readers New Liberals have a lot of issues to contend with Parliament will open on Thursday, Dec. 3. This will be Canada's 42nd Parlia- ment since Confederation in 1867. On the first day, newly elected MPs in the House of Commons will elect a Speaker. On the second day, the Queen's representative, Governor General Da- vid Johnston, will deliver the Speech from the Throne in the Senate. The Speech will outline the agenda of the newly appointed government of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. The start of Parliament also means the start of the House of Commons, where the new govern- ment-- the Prime Min- ister and his cabinet-- is accountable to elected MPs and, by extension, to Canadians. MPs will be asking questions of the new gov- ernment, regarding election prom- ises and actions taken since the gov- ernment's appointment on Nov. 4. A number of issues need to be ad- dressed by the new Liberal govern- ment. The new Liberal government has adopted the previous Conservative government's greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction targets: a 17 per cent re- duction of GHGs below 2005 levels by 2020 and a 30 per cent reduction below 2005 levels by 2030. At the UN climate change confer- ence in Paris, the new government needs to ensure that commitments made by Canada are part of a larger global agreement that includes all major emitters, such as the U.S., Chi- na and India. They also need to ensure that their commitments lead to action. The new government needs to ad- dress concerns about their plan to bring Syrian refugees to Canada. The Liberal government has al- ready acknowledged that their elec- tion promise to bring in 25,000 refu- gees by year-end was unrealistic and irresponsible. Accordingly, they reduced the number of government- sponsored refugees to 15,000 and have extended the year-end deadline into the new year. However, unanswered questions remain. The government must fully account for the costs and ensure that proper processes are in place to both screen and care for these refugees. Finally, Trudeau indi- cated during the election that Canada would withdraw our fighter jets from the international military coalition combatting the Islamic State. The government has not yet with- drawn our CF-18s, and ought to re- consider that decision in light of the recent attacks in Paris. It would send the wrong message to the Islamic State and to our allies if we were to withdraw at this time. Carrie and I, and our three boys, wish you and your family all the best for the holidays, a very Merry Christ- mas and a Happy New Year. -- Michael Chong is the MP for Wellington-Halton Hills MICHAEL CHONG Now and Then Mackenzie Lumber and Planning Mill, which is still standing and located on James St. in Georgetown, was built in 1897 by Henry Pratt Lawson.  The "Then" photograph attached was taken December 17th, 1913. It is still owned by a member of the Mackenzie family. Although the building is no longer used as a mill, it is still used and rented out by the Ontario Early Years Centre, Chamber of Commerce and BIA. The information above was collected from the Esquesing Historical Society and Mark Rowe's book Georgetown, Reflections of a Small Town, Halton Hiills Heritage. Now photo by Amy Douglas Then photo courtesy of Esquesing Historical Society