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Issues are economic not social: Premier Wynne by Melanie Hennessey Special to the Beaver 27 | Thursday, April 23, 2015 | OAKVILLE BEAVER | www.insideHALTON.com We can no longer view paramount issues like poverty, pollution and racism as separate entities that don't influence the province's economy if we want to succeed. That was among the key messages delivered by Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne when she visited Milton last Friday to speak and have lunch with local dignitaries and business people. The event at Rattlesnake Point Golf Club -- hosted by the Milton, Burlington and Oakville chambers of commerce -- drew a large crowd who enjoyed a three-course meal and keynote address by the first female leader of the province's government. Wynne's speech covered a variety of topics, with a focus on the change in approach needed when it comes to Ontario's economic growth and prosperity. She said too often the realities people are dealing with every day, such as wage inequality, child and senior poverty, commuting and even sexism and homophobia, aren't brought up in traditional discussions about the economy. "Too often we treat those as so-called social or environmental indicators as though somehow they don't influence the economy, but the truth is they're key drivers as well. Sometimes Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne they are barriers to growth for our economy," she said. "Today, I want to persuade you this is actually the way we need to be talking about the economy in Ontario in 2015." Taking a look at the big economic picture, Wynne said there are two challenges that can affect the province's long-term prosperity -- people not saving for retirement and climate change. "We have a situation where we have a population that is not saving enough for their retirement," she said. "We will all pay for that generation of seniors if they're living in poverty." She said she has urged Prime Minister Stephen Harper to enhance the Canada Pension Plan, while the provincial government is introducing a pension plan of its own. "As we develop our Ontario Retirement Pension Plan we are talking to businesses across the province and taking into account their concerns," she said, adding she believes Conservative politicians are "raising alarms that aren't based in reality" about the plan. She also said the Province will be consulting with businesses as it develops its new cap-andtrade system, which would see the government set a limit on the amount of greenhouse gas emissions various industries can emit. The limit would gradually be reduced to lower total pollution levels over time. The government would be able to distribute free carbon emission credits, auction them off or sell them to industries within the overall limit. Companies that need additional credits could then purchase them from other companies that don't need their full emissions allowance, thus effectively putting a price on pollution. "We need to take the time to talk to businesses to make sure we don't make a mistake," Wynne said. "We're going to take action and we're going to do it in a responsible way." Wynne commended the three local chambers for coming together to organize Friday's luncheon. "That kind of working relationship is very, very important to getting things done," she said. "You are such an important group of people. Together you speak for nearly 3,000 local businesses. That's an enormous engine for the economy in Ontario. When Ontario chambers of commerce speak, the provincial government listens because it is extremely important that we understand your concerns and what you're seeing on the ground." She went on to recognize that it's businesspeople, not the government, who create the jobs needed to better the economy. 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