I have called upon the Limestone District School Board to follow in the footsteps of their peers at the UCDSB in order to avoid the closure of schools within their board. I would like to thank all those who spoke out and demonstrated the need to keep these schools open. While your voices were an integral part of keeping these community hubs intact, we must continue to advocate for the schools that remain on the chopping block within the LDSB. Below you will find a press release sent out today by my office regarding the Upper Canada District School Board's announcement that schools in the Lanark area will remain open.

 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
14 February 2017 

LESSONS FOR RURAL SCHOOL BOARDS

 (PERTH) – Randy Hillier (MPP for Lanark-Frontenac-Lennox & Addington) calls upon the Limestone District School Board to carefully consider the Upper Canada District School Board's (UCDSB) Final Staff Report regarding school closures in Lanark County.

"My only disappointment is that the lessons learned and recommendations in Lanark were not adopted throughout all areas of the UCDSB," remarked Hillier. "The province has placed great pressures and challenges onto our school boards, and the Limestone District School Board and indeed all rural school boards, ought to consider and implement my recommendations."

"Many Lanark County schools were facing potential closure with serious and negative consequences to our communities," Hillier continued. "I was pleased to see so many speak up, rally, and demonstrate against the uninspired and trite proposed school closures."

"I am pleased that my recommendations have been adopted such as the sharing of space and resources with the Separate board, as well as improvements to curriculum, in order to mitigate the enrollment pressures for schools in Lanark County," commented Hillier. "I remain firm in my view, however, that the pupil accommodation process itself was misguided, and contained within it some fundamental flaws. As an example, nowhere in the process did I see any examination of administrative costs at the Board itself, adjustment of school hours to allow for shared transportation costs with the Separate school board, or an undertaking to reach out with other community associations for lease sharing, which truly can make our schools true community hubs."

"However, there remain a great number of rural school closures which will have serious and enduring negative consequences for our rural communities; it's time all school boards learn these lessons and become champions for our rural and small town schools," Hillier concluded.

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 Contact:
Perth Constituency Office 613-267-8239
Queen's Park Office 416-325-2244
[email protected]

In a letter to the Attorney General of Ontario, Randy Hillier (Lanark-Frontenac-Lennox & Addington) has called upon Minister Yasir Naqvi to establish a select committee to study the systematic failures of Ontario’s justice system that have resulted in over 43 percent of proceedings dismissed before trial.

“In 2015 alone 82,400 cases have been stayed or withdrawn before trial, and another 9,900 were dropped mid-trial,” explained Hillier. “Couple that with the fact that on average, each case generally takes 140 days to reach deposition, we are clearly presented a very bleak picture.”

You can read the letter in full below.

MPP Hillier has called on both the federal and provincial Attorneys General to take action on the 14 Superior Court of Justice vacancies in Ontario. In his letter, MPP Hillier has cited the debilitating effect on access to justice that these vacant positions are imposing on the people of Ontario.  

“There are far too many cases being thrown out due to systemic delays. In 2015, over 43% of all cases in Ontario were stayed or withdrawn before trial,” proclaimed Hillier. “This failure to fill vacancies is resulting in both dangerous and violent criminals being released back into our communities, or innocent people being unduly deprived of their liberties.”

You can read both letters in full below.

Below is a copy of my response to the MVCA’s request for public feedback relating new policy proposals surrounding unregulated and unprotected insignificant wetlands. 

It is important to remind ourselves that these new policies are not a provincial requirement or the result of any new provincial legislation or mandates, but a desire to expand their authority, and originates with the staff of the MVCA. Further, the only means for these new policies to become lawful and have effect is through municipal concurrence and adoption. 

From the attached correspondence you will see I have significant concerns that these new policies, if adopted would have substantial negative consequences on the municipalities that comprise the MVCA watershed. 

I encourage you to review my thoughts and concerns, and share your directly with the MVCA via their website here:http://mvc.on.ca/changes-to-wetlands-open-discussion/

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

November 21st, 2016

 School Closures a Symptom of Rural Neglect

(QUEENSPARK) Randy Hillier (Lanark-Frontenac-Lennox & Addington) challenged the Premier to take ownership of yet another one her “mistakes”, the decline of small town rural Ontario. Hillier argued that the Liberal Government’s legacy of failure and indifference to small town rural Ontario has devastated these communities and that school closures are the unsettling result of their failure.

“School closures are not the cause but a symptom of communities in decline,” Hillier stated “And that is the true Liberal legacy, the decline of small town and rural Ontario.” remarked Hillier. “Now in my riding alone 40 community schools are on the chopping block.”

Hillier laid the blame on a number of government actions which have led to the decline of rural communities across Ontario. “The Premier’s policies, The Premier’s economic actions, the Premier’s restrictive land regulations and skyrocketing hydro rates have suffocated growth and prosperity in rural Ontario,” Hillier explained.

Additionally, Hillier believes that parents should have a seat at the table in the discussions on school closures and consolidations. “School boards should allow parents of the affected children an opportunity to voice their concerns and provide their insights into these decisions via deputations to the board,’ Hillier proposed. “Instead the school boards are choosing to dictate its actions to these communities they have long been a part of and shut out the voices of those they service.” concluded Hillier

MPP Hillier's petition to the Upper Canada District School Board on the Pupil Accommodation Review process can be found here.

A full recording of MPP Hillier’s questions to the Premier can be found here.

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Contact:

Perth Office 613-267-8239

Queen’s Park 416-325-2244

[email protected]