Seeing all sides of the issue

To the editor:
I believe that a democratic system can only work properly when voters have all the facts in front of them from which they can make an informed decision on whom to vote for.
That is why I am concerned over Kay Smith’s recent letter to the editor accusing me of spreading falsehoods, a letter in which she did not provide a single example of proof of what she was claiming.
Does she claim that the $150 million spent on northern highways is not a record amount? Does she claim that the long-term care beds announced for Kenora-Rainy River are not long over due given no new beds were funded in over 10 years despite an aging population? Is she stating that Harris government did not restore over $60 million to the Heritage Fund after the NDP shut it down?
Is she claiming that Dalton McGuinty’s statement in a press conference to the Toronto media that he will strongly support Bill C-68 was a fabrication?
As MPP for Kenora, Frank Miclash has a $201,000 budget to hire staff and run his office. He is able to mail householders to his constituents. He is given a weekly or monthly column in some area papers. In short, he has ample opportunity to get his views across to the public.
When I feel that Frank has not accurately represented a government program or issue, I will use the vehicle that is available to all citizens of all points of view–the Letters to the Editor page. If I wrote something that was false or libel, the newspaper editor would edit my letter or simply not print it.
Contrary to Ms. Smith’s view, just because someone holds a different opinion than the Liberal Party of Ontario, it does not automatically make that opinion false.
As for Ms. Smith’s forecast for the upcoming election, only a fool would believe that any candidate will easily win the Kenora-Rainy River seat. Frank is a long-time incumbent, Hampton is the leader of the NDP. The Tories lost the Rainy River seat by only 200 votes in 1995, and held the Kenora seat for 19 years before Frank. By any measure, it will be a close race.
Hopefully, this race will be fought on the record of service to the riding, and ideas for a better future for our children. To that end, I will continue to write letters to the editor to allow the voters of Kenora-Rainy River to see all sides of the issues.
Signed,
Craig Nuttall
President, Kenora-R.R.
PC Riding Association