The following letter is an an example of many letters I have recieved and indicates a growing and widespread sentiment cultivated by bureaucratic ignorance and political blindness to rural concerns.
Randy Hillier - President, Lanark Landowners Association

Mr McGuinty,

The Ontario Liberal party's election lies re increasing taxation, propensity to pass blame rather than working to find solutions, and increasingly pro-urban, anti-rural policies, are driving a wedge between people in Ontario.

More and more, I'm hearing talk that perhaps it's time for Ontario to look at dividing into 2, 3 or 4 smaller entities.... that too much of the Province's agenda is being driven by urban thinking and ideals, mainly from in and around the GTA, to the detriment of people outside this area.

Northern Ontario, Southwestern Ontario, Eastern Ontario and the GTA could stand quite successfully on their own as smaller, but separate entities within the Canadian framework. Yes, there would be problems, but they would be overcome. "United we stand, divided we fall" would not be a correct assessment in this case.

When a governed people lose respect and faith in their Government, they start looking at, and pushing for, other alternatives..... and Ontarians outside the GTA and a few other major urban centers, are increasingly losing respect for and faith in their Government. Loss of the will to be governed can lead to apathy, individual and combined acts of civil disobedience, organised insurrection, even anarchy. History has shown this time and time again worldwide.... don't think it can't happen in Canada.

We're a long way from this right now, but the policies of your Government are certainly pushing people in that direction. In order to cater to the "feelings" of urbanites, your Government seems to have no respect for individual property rights, institutes nonsensical, un-economical, individually unfair "look good, feel good" policies regarding real and perceived environmental issues, animal issues, medical issues..... the list goes on and on.

What it all boils down to is a lack of UNDERSTANDING and RESPECT of the views and desires of some people, and catering to the "feelings" of people who have no direct lifestyle involvement with the issues.

This is a recipe for potential disaster for the Province.

You were elected to govern. Governing means working hard, being fiscally responsible, being fair to all concerned, not just pushing the issues of a localized group of people who "think" they know the issues, and the answers, but don't actually have any experience with the problems.

I sincerely hope you don't succeed in destroying this wonderful Province, but I fear you are heading down that path.

Don Adams
Perth, Ont.