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th ei fp .c a Th e IF P -H al to n H ill s | T hu rs da y, Ju ne 14 ,2 01 8 | 6 The Georgetown Independent & Free Press, published every Thursday, is a division of the Metroland Media Group Ltd., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Torstar Corpora- tion. The Metroland family of newspapers is comprised of more than 80 community publications across Ontario. The Independent & Free Press is a member of the National NewsMedia Council. Complainants are urged to bring their concerns to the attention of the newspaper and, if not satisfied, write The National NewsMedia Council, Suite 200, 890 Yonge St., Toronto, ON M4W 2H2. Phone: 416-340-1981 Web: www.mediacouncil.ca newsroom@theifp.ca IndependentAndFreePress @IFP_11 ABOUT US The Independent & Free Press 280 Guelph Street, Unit 77 Georgetown, ON L7G 4B1 Phone: 905-873-0301 Classifieds: 905-234-1016 Fax: 905-873-0398 Letters to the editor All letters must be fewer than 200 words and include your name and telephone number for verification purposes. We reserve the right to edit, condense or reject letters. Delivery For all delivery inquiries, please e-mail lpolar@miltoncanadiancham- pion.com or call 905-234-1019. CONTACT US VP, Regional Publisher Kelly Montague General Manager Steve Foreman Retail Advertising Manager Cindi Campbell Regional Managing Editor Chris Vernon Regional Managing Digital Editor Robyn Wilkinson Distribution Representative Iouliana Polar Classified/Real Estate Kristie Pells Regional Production Manager Manuel Garcia Production Shelli Harrison WHO WE ARE OPINION Veteran observers are calling this the ugliest election they've seen - so far. Some of the nastiest moments were courtesy of the Doug Ford campaign. But while Ford set the tone, the other two main parties quickly followed suit, with the NDP calling the Liberals 'corrupt' and the Liberals re- turning fire. We had cries of "Lock her up", with Ford initially condoning such behaviour and only repudiat- ing it under pressure from his opponents and the media. We had NDP candidates hurting their party's cause through stupid past social media behaviour. There were repeated reports of membership corrup- tion and fakery in the PC party. There was the law suit launched against Ford by the widow of his own brother. There was even a PC candidate who got into a phys- ical altercation with a Grade 7 student. He later apologized. Thankfully, it's over. Ontarians clearly wanted change, and change is what they're getting. But will it be change for the better? Regardless, Ontarians voted, and the people are never wrong. Ford pledges to scrap Ontario's cap-and-trade system. He will run directly afoul of the federal government on that, which has said provinces that don't do the work themselves will have it imposed. Ford promises a court battle. Legal experts predict he'll lose. Ford promises to cut gas prices by 10 cents per litre. How soon? How will he replace the revenue loss of $1.19 billion annually? He promises to eliminate provincial income tax for people earning minimum wage, and lower provincial income tax by 20 per cent for people who earn between $42,960 and $85,923. That promise alone will cost the government nearly $2.3 billion per year in lost revenue. Ford says he'll lower hydro bills by 12 per cent. How will he lower rates when those rates are not under gov- ernment control? Ford also pledges to expand GO Transit to Kitchener, complete the expansion of GO into Niagara and support regional transit in Ottawa, Hamilton, Kitchener Water- loo, London and Mississauga and Brampton. More lost revenue here. Ford pledges to lower busi- ness taxes from 11.5 per cent to 10.5 per cent. The move would cost the government $1.3 billion per year starting in the second year of his term. Ford says he would create 15,000 new long-term care beds over the next five years and 30,000 over 10 years. The Tories say this will cost the government $62,000 per bed, per year, once each bed is in use. That's another $1.7 billion annually. You can see the theme here. How will Ford finance all these promises, which add up to between $7 and $8 bil- lion a year? And how will he spend all that when he is also promising to cut $6 billion from overall spending? Doug Ford won the election with bumper-sticker promis- es and minimal substance. Now he's going to have to make those slogans into reality. Ontarians will be watch- ing closely. Premier Doug Ford can expect scrutiny • LETTERS & COMMENTARY • We can make Acton better When I drove along the Main Street part of Acton about two weeks ago I was sorry to see all the vacant stores. It was not like I remem- bered it years ago when I lived there. I realized that small towns are becoming ghost towns as more people go to the bigger towns and malls to shop. I was, however, pleased to read the front page of the IFP on May 24. Hopefully, the changes regarding the vacant stores will happen. To read on Page 3 of that paper that Chris Latour was informed by the BIA that his sidewalk piano had received complaints was appalling. How ridiculous. Here is a person I have never met by the way, who had shown creativity and given a boost to the town by putting an old piano on a street and asked people to play it and be happy. I even plinked and plunked the keys and got a laugh out of it. Friends of mine also tried it. I am pleased he found many people who support- ed him and he has now spruced it up and encour- aged people to decorate it with their own personal flair. If there were more peo- ple like him to give the town a boost then maybe it would encourage others to open businesses there. Perhaps the complain- ers could come up with something creative instead of sitting around looking for things to criticize. What else could be done to help Acton's business section? There must be lots of people out there with sug- gestions. Let's hear them! Margaret Renton Do we really need the G7? The current G7, or G6+1 if you consider America's approach seems to be floundering. This is shown with two photos - the official group shot and the one of Germa- ny's Angela Merkel, ap- pearing to be in conflict with President Donald Trump. For most of its existence it has been the G8, then the G7 with Russia out of the team at the moment, al- though it is probably G6 with the early departure of President Trump. There is some doubt as to the group's purpose and even its nature. There is a claim that the group includes democra- cies, yet Russia has been in- cluded. Italy is a democra- cy but not one that can seem to decide how to elect a functional government. The suggestion that it represents the major in- dustrialized countries seems doubtful as China is not included and Italy and France are. Something needs to happen in the diplomatic world until the G8 shrinks to G7, G6 to G0 and then gone. Dennis Fitzgerald l MORE ONLINE Read all our published letters at theifp.ca • EDITORIAL •