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Poll shows serious leakage of support from NDP, Liberals to Tories
SooToday
62I don't participate when a pollster calls. I believe polls are misleading. Do not believe in polls. Get out and vote at the next election, then you will get your answer.
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Over 4,000 tickets issued in Orillia as speed cameras nab fast drivers
OrilliaMatters 33Slow down. You’re showing how privileged you are.
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Sparks fly as council opts to shelve plans on Champlain Monument
OrilliaMatters 13It should not go back in the park. If it is considered “history” then it should be put in a museum not a public park. A modern sculpture could take its place.
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PM Trudeau is ‘an extremist,’ according to Pierre Poilievre
OrilliaMatters 17Poilievre is a career politician who creates snappy slogans to convince us that he is for the working class. Pierre is a huckster. Canada is ranked No. 2-in the world, Its highest subranking finish came in agility at No. 2, but it also lands in the top 5 in three other subrankings, including quality of life. Canada ranks first for several attributes, including racial equity. Poilievre calls out racism, while disparaging our indigenous communities. He is two-faced. Poilievre talks about bringing home powerful paychecks, yet can’t explain how he is going to achieve this. We are now facing the biggest housing problem in our lifetime. He was minister of housing and yet, had no forethought in how he could avoid this future problem while promoting endless growth. This man-child is not Prime Minister material.
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'We can always balance in a year or two': Ford says budget will spend to bolster economy
24and don't forget gambling.
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COLUMN: Poilievre shouldn't bag on Trudeau for rising grocery costs
OrilliaMatters 12It's easier to lay blame on the PM rather than looking at the global situation. Our situation will not improve based on the rhetoric coming from the opposition parties.
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'We can always balance in a year or two': Ford says budget will spend to bolster economy
13Fiscal Conservatism is a misnomer used by the Conservative Party to get votes. It's time that people become aware that debt is a tool used to boost the economy and will always be with us."As Ontario moves forward from the pandemic era, it remains to be seen if the government will rein in perpetual deficit financing and halt debt accumulation, or if the government will embark on yet another cycle of mounting debt. In many respects, the government has continued to spend at a rate well above its economic ability and performance. Key to the issue is Ontario’s productivity lag, which has resulted in slow growth relative to the rest of the country. If the Ford government continues to spend as if Ontario was still experiencing the high growth rates of an earlier era, that’s not a sound recipe for fiscal responsibility." The Fraser Institute
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Heads up: One of city's new speed cameras goes live on Friday
OrilliaMatters 11A good incentive to slow down and take a zen moment. What are you all in a hurry for anyway?
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Senior seeing red over plan tying garbage pickup to green-bin use
OrilliaMatters 13We have two composters on our farm. Why should we need to put an empty one at the curb in order to have our garbage and recycle picked up?
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COLUMN: Province quietly legislating extinction in 'reckless' way
OrilliaMatters 12and you are saying there are no other solutions? There are many ways to intensify housing without destroying endangered species habitats.
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Deal between Couchiching Conservancy, quarry could be 'huge win'
OrilliaMatters 6It's unfortunate that yet another pit will be opened in Brechin, especially since the only way to protect the wetlands near Dalrymple was by making trade-offs with large aggregate mining companies for environmental protections. Ramara has many other pits and quarries, we don't need another pit.
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Watch out speeders: Automated enforcement is coming to Ramara
OrilliaMatters 8Why not add more revenue to our coffers? Why not penalise those who break the law, in our school zones? Cry me a river. If you are on a tight schedule, that is on you for not planning. Most farmers I know follow the rules of the road.
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Ramara residents urge council to put brakes on quarry expansions
OrilliaMatters 6It is misleading to frame this as a battle between “progress” and residents. Ramara already hosts more quarries than our roads, water systems, and tax base can reasonably support. Meanwhile, the financial benefit to the Township is minimal compared to the wear on infrastructure and the risks to residents. It is known that per capita we are over burdened with aggregate industry. About 3.5 million tonnes for a full time population of 3500 people.The ICBL doesn’t stop development everywhere, it simply pauses new aggregate expansion so Ramara can update the planning tools that protect our wells, our roads, and our homes. That’s called responsible leadership. It ensures progress doesn’t come at the cost of the people who actually live here.
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Big rig gets stuck for several hours on narrow Warminster Road
OrilliaMatters 6As more aggregate pits open we will be seeing more incidents like this.
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Conservancy seeks $50,000 from township to aid acquisition of ‘rarest of rare’ land
OrilliaMatters 2I support conservation. I support protecting rare ecosystems like the Lake Dalrymple Alvar.But this situation raises serious concerns about fairness and public accountability.The same aggregate company that received a quarry licence is now selling additional land for $1.3 million, and the municipality is being asked to help donate (fund) part of that purchase.Even if described as separate transactions, the timing and structure create the appearance of a bundled deal where the public is being asked to help complete it.If this land is truly critical to protect, then it should have been secured as part of the approval process, not left to taxpayers after the fact.Conservation should not rely on municipalities stepping in to finance land transactions connected to private development approvals.
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Councillor takes fight against 'weaponized' integrity commissioner sanctions to provincial leaders
OrilliaMatters 2Some important context:It frames Councillor Sherri Bell as being punished for speaking up. That can sound convincing without the full history. When you read the IC reports & watch council meetings, a different picture emerges.It’s not about disagreement. Councillors are expected to challenge decisions. Repeatedly, the IC found that Bell made inaccurate statements, misrepresented council decisions, & crossed lines w/staff & colleagues. Not one-off incidents, supported by recordings, emails, & meeting records. A broader pattern.Council meetings were frequently derailed. Discussion is pulled off into personal grievances. Meetings drag on, staff are put on the defensive, & other councillors lose time to do their work. That isn’t accountability, it’s disruptive.Some limits on her role were avoidable. She was asked to apologize for her behaviour in council & refused. That led to restrictions on her participation.It’s about conduct, accuracy, and respect for process.
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COLUMN: 140 hours and counting without power in an Orillia neighbourhood
OrilliaMatters 1Latest news for Brechin is that we will get our power back Tuesday April 8. We’ve been out since March 31st.
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'Moral compass' of Rescue Lake Simcoe Coalition is stepping down
OrilliaMatters 1Claire Malcolmson’s departure marks the end of an era for the Rescue Lake Simcoe Coalition and for all of us who care deeply about the health of Lake Simcoe. Her tireless advocacy, grounded in science, collaboration, and courage, has not only strengthened the Lake Simcoe Protection Plan but also empowered countless citizens, communities, and organizations to raise their voices for the lake. Claire has been a force - principled, persistent, and passionate. Her legacy will be felt for generations. Thank you, Claire, for everything you've done and for inspiring us all to keep fighting for what matters.
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'Enough is enough': Resident upset about proposed Ramara quarry
OrilliaMatters 1In the past 35 years, Ontario has lost 2.8 million acres (18%) of its farmland to non-agricultural land uses like urbanization and aggregate mining. Gravel mining destroys the environment and tears apart the fabric of communities. Residents who come together to oppose the many potential negative impacts of aggregate extraction face enormous challenges. Most local groups fighting a pit or quarry must start organizing from scratch, whereas companies and their consultants have years of experience, well-developed tactics, and disproportionate resources to intimidate, exhaust, and outspend communities and Councillors. The playing field is not level; in fact, it is heavily biased in favour of the gravel mining industry.
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'Enough is enough': Resident upset about proposed Ramara quarry
OrilliaMatters 1No, we shouldn’t be used to them, there are enough. Agricultural land should be protected. There is enough aggregate in Ontario without adding another Quarry. This land is zoned agriculture and should remain. We are losing 319 acres of farmland a day. Once it is gone it is gone forever.
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