Attorney General eager for outcome of public inquiry

Cornwall Standard Freeholder

25 August 2008

Posted By (STAFF)

Attorney General Chris Bentley said he's "anxiously awaiting" the advice that will come from the Cornwall Public Inquiry.

The inquiry -- which resumes today after a three-week hiatus -- has already been under way for more than two years now, and it's expected to continue on at least until Christmas. When asked about the length of the inquiry, Bentley cautioned the process is now independent from the provincial government and is under the control of commissioner Normand Glaude. He went on to say he knows the inquiry is important to the community, and he, like many others, is anxious to see the advice the inquiry will produce.

As for the costs being racked up by the city at the inquiry, Bentley said there's no commitment regarding additional funding at this point, however he has agreed to discuss the issue with Mayor Bob Kilger once the process is complete.

Bentley attended local MPP Jim Brownell's annual family picnic Sunday at the Lost Villages Museum near Long Sault. (See Page 2.)

Municipal leaders have full plate of issues for AMO conference

Premier McGuinty to speak at conference today

Cornwall Standard Freeholder

25 August 2008

Posted By KEVIN LAJOIE

The provincial government has traditionally used the annual Association of Municipalities of Ontario conference as a platform to announce new programs and funding initiatives.

So will it do the same again this year? We'll soon find out.

Local politicians from Cornwall and S, D and G, and hundreds of their counterparts from communities across Ontario,, will be gathering in the nation's capital over the next three days for the annual AMO conference.

Premier Dalton McGuinty, Ontario Progressive Conservative Party Leader John Tory and New Democratic Party Leader Howard Hampton are all scheduled to speak at the conference today.

On top of hearing from a slew of high-profile speakers, attendees will also be able to participate in information sessions on a variety of municipal issues and meet face-to-face with various high-ranking politicians.

Mayor Bob Kilger, for example, is scheduled to meet briefly with both Municipal Affairs Minister Jim Watson and Energy and Infrastructure Minister George Smitherman over the course of the conference.

Kilger said he intends to use his short window of time with both ministers to bring them up to speed on a variety of local issues such as the Cornwall Public Inquiry, the planned multi-pad arena and sewage treatment plant upgrade and brownfield redevelopment.

Given the short duration of the meetings, Kilger said there's not much of an opportunity to raise new issues with the ministers, but it does allow a chance to keep the lines of communication open.

"It's an opportunity to continue building a good working relationship (with them)," he said.

As for the conference itself, Kilger said he doesn't anticipate any big announcements being made.

MAJOR REVIEW

The province is in the midst of undertaking a major review of how services are funded and delivered between the province and municipalities.

That review -- which is expected to touch on the issue of compensation for power dams, a long-standing concern for the city -- was originally expected to be presented at the AMO conference, but that's no longer the case.

Kilger believes the review will generate plenty of discussion at the conference, even if the findings aren't presented yet.

"What's important for us is, on balance, I'm hopeful that we'll have a better fiscal balance with more sustainable, predictable funding," he said of the review.

Coun. Denis Thibault said he plans to use the AMO conference -- his first -- to gather ideas from other communities about issues that are of interest to Cornwall.

Water meters, public transit and downtown parking are just a few of the issues on Thibault's agenda.

"I'm looking to go up there and get educated," he said.