Russell McOrmond FLORA Community WEB 134 Sparks St., Suite 200 Ottawa, ON K1P 5B6 Email: Russell@Flora.org Office: (613) 231-6075 Vmail: (613) 235-7584 FAX: (613) 230-1258 WEB: http://www.flora.org/

Richard Patten, M.P.P., Ottawa Centre

(Copies to Dalton McGuinty - MPP, Bernard Grandmaitre - MPP, Bob Chairelli - MPP)

I have been following the various bills being brought forth by the government with much interest. I noticed a general turn from the more social government we previously had, that worried about the well-being of the people of this province, towards a government that will place financial entries on a spreadsheet above all else. This troubles me, as this is not why I choose to live in Ontario, and is not what has made me a proud Canadian.

I work in the high tech industry which, as you know, has a large part of it in Ottawa, Ontario. This area is referred to as Silicon Valley North by many people. As you may also know, these people are offered jobs all the time from many places in many countries. Where we are, we are there by choice! The federal government is concerning itself over changing laws to allow more people to come to Canada to fill available jobs. While this may seem important, it is more the job of the Provincial and a properly structured local and democratic government to *KEEP* the people born and raised here to stay in Canada. Let us not worry about importing people until we solve the problems that will cause the export of people.

I am not alone amongst my high-tech friends in thinking that if the current trends of the government continue, there will eventually be no advantages to staying in Canada. We will be forced to accept one of the many offers that have been made to us from much larger companies in other countries.

My future wife is a highschool biology teacher for a highschool here in the Ottawa area. I think you can guess what her feelings are going to be towards the current government. As this young teacher falls off the bottom of a decimated public educational system (to be replaced by private schools and further short-term thinking), even she won't have much keeping her here. Ontario, and Canada, will be losing some good educators, some good people in high tech. And for what?

As I think about our future together, it is not the regular wedding jitters that are a problem, but our fears that are a direct result of poor government. How long will it take to rebuild what our governments are currently destroying?

There is currently a filibuster underway in the Ontario Legislature. I urge you to not give into a government that believes that it can force it's will upon the people. We need to be proud and believe that we have a democracy. When I watch the proceedings, and what the Harris government is doing, I question whether we actually have a democracy in Canada, or just a periodically elected dictatorship.

I am including an amendment that I wish could be included, even though I know this is not possible. While Bill 103 specifically talks about a merging of totally incompatible Urban and Suburban lifestyles, and the lowering of the number of representatives in a local democracy in the Toronto area, a similar model may end up being forced upon us in Ottawa. This is very directly related to everyone in Ontario, and by poor example, everyone in Canada!

Please pass this letter on to anyone you feel would benefit from it, including keeping my name attached to it. I would also like to know when you will be sitting in the legislature so that I can watch the parliamentary channel at that time knowing that the views of the residents in Ottawa are also being represented in this important democratic exercise!

DO NOT GIVE IN!

Thank you,

Russell McOrmond (Fax included the FLORA amendment)