Sarah Campbell had big shoes to fill in replacing longtime MPP Howard Hampton at Queen’s Park but she’s done just that so far—and barely seven months into the job to boot.
As news trickled out that the McGuinty government was closing seven Ontario Travel Information Centres across the province as of April 30, including the ones in Fort Frances, Rainy River, and Kenora, Ms. Campbell has taken the bull by the horns in fighting to get the decision reversed.
During Question Period in the legislature last Thursday, our rookie MPP grilled Tourism minister Michael Chan—producing figures that punched holes in the government’s claim its decision was based solely on declining numbers. The argument doesn’t hold water given Pigeon River, which wasn’t slated for closure, draws far fewer visits than the Kenora OTIC and also experienced the second-sharpest drop in tourist traffic of all seasonal operations since 2002.
The numbers just don’t add up, as Ms. Campbell aptly noted, and Mr. Chan has some explaining to do.
Then on Friday morning, Ms. Campbell was joined by municipal leaders, tourist organization reps, and members of the public at the Ontario-Manitoba boundary to launch the “Not For Sale” postcard campaign to take the fight “to the next level” to pressure the McGuinty Liberals to change their mind.
That’s where we come in. Let’s give Ms. Campbell the ammunition she needs by filling out the postcards and returning them to her constituency office here so she, in turn, can hand deliver them to the minister.
Let’s send the message that closing our OTICs was a ridiculous decision that must be overturned immediately so we can properly welcome the looming influx of tourists to Northwestern Ontario for the 2012 season and years to come.
Fort Frances Times
Local News from Across the Rainy River District
