April 4, 2007

Mr. Ted McMeekin (Ancaster–Dundas–Flamborough–Aldershot): I have long believed that to be an effective member of the provincial Legislature, you have to “think sync,” that you need to be in sync with the people you purport to represent, and on those occasions when you are not in sync, you need to be really committed to having dialogue with your constituents so as to ascertain how best to proceed.

In our riding, we do something somewhat different. We call it deliberative democracy. I’ve created, with the help of some well-meaning constituents, a series of advisory groups in the riding. We have a group on education, one on the environment, one on services to seniors, one on small business, and either I or a senior member of my staff attend every meeting of the Hamilton-Wentworth Federation of Agriculture to keep abreast of agricultural issues. I can say quite candidly that while there are a number of good ideas that emanate from any one of the members here, probably 90% of the creative entrepreneurial ideas that come my way and that I get to share with my colleagues and try to move forward with come from people in my riding.

So I want to thank Anne Thomson in particular, who chairs our education group, John MacLennan for his great efforts with the environmental group, and all of the seniors and business people who contribute so consistently. We have over 600 citizens involved in offering their MPP advice. It helps me to do a better job.

I also want to take my last few seconds to say thanks to Dr. Mel Hawkrigg and his spouse, Marilyn, who for a number of years have served as chancellor and assistant to the chancellor of my alma mater, McMaster. They have done a great job. They are a great credit to the community, and I just want to say thanks to both of them.