Published on April 21st, 2011 in the Net News Ledger

THUNDER BAY – “First they said they had heard enough from Northern Ontario on this Bill and there was no need to travel to the North. Now they have time allocated this bill which will shut down any further debate. Voters in Thunder Bay-Atikokan deserve a government which will listen to them,” stated Dr. Fred Gilbert, the Progressive Conservative candidate for the Atikokan riding.

Gilbert’s comments come as the PC content, “The McGuinty Liberals have once again closed the door on Northern Ontario with their decision to shut down the debate on Bill 151, Forest Tenure Modernization Act. Ironically, the Liberal Government filed the motion to shut down debate yesterday, the same day an opposition motion was being debated in the Legislature regarding the Liberals’ contempt for Northern Ontario Consultations”.

Published on April 19th, 2011 in the Sault Star

Randy Hillier, Ontario's Progressive Conservative forestry critic, called out local Liberal members Tuesday on consultations over a new act that would govern the industry.

Hillier, MPP for Lanark-Frontenac-Lennox and Addington, held a press conference in Sault Ste. Marie in which he criticized the Dalton McGuinty government and local MPPs for canceling Northern Ontario consultations for a new bill introduced in February by the government.

Published on April 7th, 2011 in the EMC Perth

EMC News - At a time when the Perth and District Food Bank is moving forward with both a new location and an exciting new pilot project, the Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF) has stepped forward to help make the transition a little easier. Local MPP Randy Hillier announced on Friday, April 1 that a Trillium Grant of $140,000 has been awarded to the food bank to help with expenses associated with the move to their new location at 190 Gore St.

Published on April 4th, 2011 in Northern Ontario Business

Stakeholders wanting to have their final say on the Ontario government's Forest Tenure Modernization Act will have to take to Skype or travel to Toronto.

A General Government Committee has cut spring travel dates to communities in Northern and Eastern Ontario and opted for its final consultations in Toronto.

Published on March 30th, 2011 in the Chronicle Journal

Depending on who you ask — the provincial budget either forgot Northwestern Ontario or it has some strong

Depending on who you ask — the provincial budget either forgot Northwestern Ontario or it has some strong commitments to help the region for years to come.

One thing is clear: The only new item that could have direct benefits for Northwestern Ontario is an additional $10 million in the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation, bringing it to a yearly investment of $100 million.

Published on March 26th, 2011 in the Published on March 26th, 2011 in the Chronicle Journal

In your editorial A Waste of Time (March 24) you refer to the staged and scripted exchange regarding the Ontario Forest Tenure Modernization Act during question period Wednesday between MPPs Bill Mauro and Michael Gravelle.

I have been closely following the parliamentary debate on the proposed forest tenure act and I’m very disappointed with the standard, scripted answers from the Liberal Party, especially Minister Michael Gravelle.

Published on March 21st, 2011 in REM Online

Two Ontario politicians have launched a proposal to get private property rights included in the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

Federal MP Scott Reid (Lanark-Frontenac-Lennox and Addington) and MPP Randy Hillier (Lanark-Frontenac-Lennox and Addington) announced they will jointly present resolutions in the House of Commons and the Legislative Assembly of Ontario to amend Canada’s Constitution, embedding property rights within the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

Published on March 4th, 2011 in Net News Ledger

THUNDER BAY – “The McGuinty Liberals’ Northern Growth Plan is yet another hypocrisy perpetrated by a party which has failed Northerners time and time again”, stated Randy Hillier, PC Party critic for Northern Development, Mines and Forestry. “A ‘northern’ document originally penned by George Smitherman, the growth plan will do nothing to stem the tide of a Northern recession that the Liberals have created”.

Published on March 3rd, 2011 in Net News Ledger and the Working Forest

Randy Hillier, PC Party Critic for Northern Development, Mines, and Forestry is condemning the Liberal Government for their unwillingness to help the foresters of Northern Ontario. “Northern communities that rely on the Forestry sector have been once again left in the dark when it comes to the McGuinty Liberals’ new Forest Tenure Modernization Act, Bill 151,” charges Hillier. “McGuinty’s new Forestry act sets our foresters up for failure,” Hillier continued. “All this Government seems capable of doing is adding more bureaucracy and excessive regulations by creating new Forest-LHINs, while granting the Minister arbitrary authority to break agreements and revoke licenses without cause.