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www.insideHALTON.com · OAKVILLE BEAVER Thursday, October 27, 2011 · 4 Always a need to return order to Queen's Park Continued d from f page 1 order and decorum to Queen's Park, particularly now. "We are facing a minority government. I've seen minority governments that don't work and I have seen minority governments that do work and it seems to me that the minority governments that did work were in situations where the parties were prepared to sit down and listen to each other. That traditionally has not been a hallmark of Queen's Park," said Flynn. "It's been a very adversarial atmosphere down there. Often the conduct of the members gets to the point where it becomes very uncivil and disrespectful." Flynn said this uncivil behaviour is a problem not only because it prevents the work of the Assembly from getting done, but because it sets the worst example, particularly when the Ontario education system is striving daily to deal with the tragic results of bullying and disrespect. While getting very different groups of people to sit down and listen to each other is not easy, Flynn said it is a challenge he has experience with. "One of the strengths I have is being able to bring people together for a common cause," he said. "I think my work on the select committee shows this. I was able to take an all-party committee and chair it through 18 months "Often I think (Queen's Park) has become an example of people at their worst. The politicians the political insiders think this is what people want to see, but I think this is the last thing they want to see. I think they want to see meaningful debate, they want to see people working together, they want to see parties working together and I'm the sort of person that can lay the groundwork for that." Kevin Flynn, Oakville MPP of emotionally intense delegations from the public on mental health and addiction. I was able to hold the committee together in a non-partisan way, deliver a report that didn't have a minority report with all members signing on, have it debated in the legislature, get each of our caucuses to support it and get the government to apply some money to the solutions." Flynn said this experience proved to him there is room for improvement at Queen's Park and despite all the bickering and partisan politics there is an appetite to work together. He said 18 years of working through issues on local and regional council has also prepared him for the Speaker position. If the Assembly elects Flynn as Speaker, he said, nothing would change as far as his advocacy work for Oakville is concerned. Flynn said that while the Speaker must take on a non-partisan role they do not take on a nonadvocacy role and as such his constituency office will continue to function and he will continue to be able to meet with Oakville residents to discuss concerns they may have about the provincial government. If chosen, Flynn would not be the first Oakville MPP to serve as Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario with Regional Chair Gary Carr elected to the position in Oct. 1999, during his time as Oakville's MPP. There is no shortage of competition for the Speaker position with three other members of f Liberal Party declaring their contention along with Progressive Conservative MPP Frank Klees. Flynn said Klees' decision to go against the orders of this party and run for the position is interesting because if he won he would technically be handing the Liberals a majority government. The role of Speaker is seen as a prestigious one and features a salary of $152,914 a year, as well as a suite of offices and a private apartment at Queen's Park. Not what's important here, said Flynn. "I think the role of the Speaker is to bring out the best in people," he said. "Often I think (Queen's Park) has become an example of people at their worst. The politicians and the political insiders think this is what people want to see, but I think this is the last thing they want to see. I think they want to see meaningful debate, they want to see people working together, they want to see parties working together and I'm the sort of person that can lay the ground work for that." The Legislative Assembly will vote for a new Speaker when it reconvenes in early or mid-November. Unlock the door to active retiremen n t living g at Vistamere, Oakville's premier retirement residence. 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