"Sousa sounded and looked very much like a man who would be comfortable as the next premier of the province."

Like the Sousa campaign on Facebook!
Follow Charles on Twitter!

This article is a couple days old now, but I wanted to post it to show the extremely positive reception Charles received talking to local business leaders in Mississauga, while also outlining his vision to create jobs and grow the economy to protect our gains in health care and education.

Ontario's leaders must govern by addressing the long-term needs of the province, not by "just looking at the next election cycle," Mississauga South Liberal MPP Charles Sousa told the Mississauga Board of Trade this morning...

The second-term MPP pressed his home field advantage in front of an attentive audience at the Mississauga International Centre by outlining his policies to improve life in the GTA, which he said was burdened by both traffic gridlock and "political gridlock."

"It's all about growing the economy and jobs," the MPP said. "That will allow us to pay for the things that really matter — health care and education." 
Instead of headlines bemoaning the fact that traffic in the GTA is worse than it is in Los Angeles, Sousa said he wants to write a new economic story by implementing policies to create jobs and curb gridlock.
He outlined a five-point GTA plan that he claimed will put the 416 and 905 regions back on the road to prosperity.
"We can remove one complete layer of decision-making" by making Metrolinx responsible for MiWay, the TTC and all local transit systems in the GTA, he suggested.

It's finally time to build the high-speed rail connection from Windsor to Quebec City that every provincial government has talked about — but none has acted on — the Mississauga native said.
"It's time for action and we need to start with the Hamilton to Toronto and Toronto to Oshawa sections," he said.
Ontario must make significant long-term capital investments in high speed rail now because otherwise the economic benefit will be lost to the U.S., which is also looking at the prospect...

The former Labour and Immigration minister said the new policy he launched several weeks ago to attract more immigrants to Ontario is critical to meeting the province's future labour needs. "In the future 100 per cent of the net jobs will be filled by newcomers to Ontario."
Another long-term problem that has never been addressed, despite ongoing promises from every party, is the Ontario Condominium Act. Sousa promised "immediate reform” of the legislation to give owners a greater voice on condo boards and to force the licensing of condo managers.

Investing in post-secondary education in times of a down economy, such as the one we are in now, will pay huge dividends down the road as the economy recovers, argued the 54-year-old graduate of Gordon Graydon Secondary School.

He urged approval of a new university campus in neighbouring Milton, Ontario's fastest-growing municipality, as soon as possible. 
"We have the funding. We need to act,” he said.
At ease in front of the friendly MBOT audience, Sousa sounded and looked very much like a man who would be comfortable as the next premier of the province.
"We do have a strong foundation in this province  but we need to work together," he concluded. "It's not about the future of anyone's political stripe, it's about the future of the province." 

Why is Eric Davis running in Kitchener-Waterloo?

Here's a great piece by Kitchener-Waterloo Liberal candidate Eric Davis answering the most basic question that anyone running for public office has to answer: Why are you running?

Eric's two big reasons are simple but moving: Public service and family.

Eric has a long track-record of local leadership in Kitchener-Waterloo, and he'll be a fighter to build a better future for Kitchener-Waterloo families.


I was raised to believe that each of us has a responsibility to contribute to the vibrancy and success of our community. Everyone contributes in their own way. Until now, my way has been through volunteering with a number of local organizations, most notably as the vice chair of the local United Way, and recently as chair of the local branch of the Canadian Mental Health Association.

However, I have also long believed that public service is an important responsibility and an honour. I look to former representatives such as Herb Epp, Andrew Telegdi and Elizabeth Witmer, and I see how our community has benefited from leaders who have been strong local representatives of Kitchener-Waterloo first and foremost.

Witmer served our community for 22 years as MPP. Despite our many philosophical differences, I have a great respect for her dedication to Kitchener-Waterloo. She served with honour and distinction, and I hope to follow her path of strong local representation through hard work and a commitment to our community.

Eric's other big reason for running hits close to home for me: To protect the public services that helped his family, and to build a better future for all families like his in Kitchener-Waterloo.

In particular, Eric drawing inspiration from his wife surviving breast cancer thanks in large part to investments in health care and breast cancer detection made by the McGuinty Liberal government (just as my mother is a breast cancer survivor) shows he has a personal stake in protecting the gains Ontario has made in health care.

At the age of 24, my wife Cynthia was diagnosed with breast cancer. For 18 months she underwent chemotherapy, radiation treatments, surgeries and countless doctor visits.
Today, we are thankful to say that she is a cancer survivor due, in large part, to Ontario’s health care system.

Though we will have to find efficiencies in our health care system to ensure its long-term sustainability, we must always ensure that it remains free, public and universal so that everyone experiencing a health challenge like my wife can avoid the worry of affordability and concentrate on recovery.

Our daughter Isabella is now two years old. As I have watched her grow, learning to speak and developing a love of books, I’ve gained an appreciation for the importance of early learning.
That’s why I fully support the Liberal government’s investments in education, including the introduction of full-day kindergarten and the strong commitment to smaller class sizes.

While the Hudak Conservatives and Tracey Weiler flip-flop on important issues like full-day kindergarten, and the NDP presents no real plan to balance the budget and ensure stability in schools, Eric Davis will be a strong fighter for the future of Kitchener-Waterloo families, motivated by the very best of concerns: The dignity of public service and protecting the health care and public education systems that have helped teach and heal generations of Ontario families.

My story of why I am voting Liberal

This is my personal story of broadly, why I am a Liberal, and more specifically to highlight the change and progress we've made in Ontario under Dalton McGuinty.

I remember during the 90's my parents getting the Harris taxpayer rebate. We were, and are a lower-middle class family, and things weren't always the easiest for us. But I remember very strongly what my parents said about getting the rebate, and what they were going to do with it. "We're going to donate this to the church for charity, because as rough as things can be for us sometimes, some other family out there that is relying on services for help just had that help cut to pay for this."

Fast-forward to 2006. My mother is diagnosed with breast cancer, but thanks to the investments in things like breast cancer screening under the McGuinty government, they catch it early. If we lived in a place without a strong public health system, the financial burden to our family would have been enormous, particularly with myself starting university the same year. But thanks to the McGuinty Liberal government supporting a strong public health system and investing in education, I was able to go to post-secondary while my mom got better. Now, conservatives would call this "socialism", they would call it "social engineering". Me? I think it is a mother being able to watch her son succeed in life. That's Liberal family values to me. That's moving forward. Together.

Please go out and vote today, to keep Ontario on the right track.

"The best choice for Ontario's challenges"

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/opinions/editorials/dalton-mcguintys-liberals-the-best-choice-for-ontarios-challenges/article2188213/

That's what The Globe & Mail says Dalton McGuinty's Ontario Liberal team is in this election. With the global economy still unsteady, and big challenges looming ahead like the federal-provincial healthcare negotiations, Ontario families deserve leadership they can trust.

As for Hudak?
"[Hudak's]campaign was surprisingly lacklustre...and [Hudak] will move too aggressively and is too dogmatic about smaller government when some public investment is needed...[Dalton McGuinty] took on the pharmacists, in the process saving the province millions on the cost of drugs. Mr. Hudak was on the wrong side of that argument. Mr. McGuinty joined with the federal Conservatives to introduce the HST, a measure that has enhanced the competitiveness of Ontario businesses. Mr. Hudak was on the wrong side of that argument too."

And Horwath?
"The New Democrats, under leader Andrea Horwath, are dangerously flawed, and if given an opportunity to influence policy, either in government or in a minority parliament, would wreak havoc on Ontario’s economy"

Voting Ontario Liberal on Oct 6th is the only way to have a strong, stable government that will create and protect jobs in an uncertain global economy while strengthening services families rely on.

Leadership on Healthcare

From a PC government that closed dozens of hospitals (with Tim Hudak personally playing a role as Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Health) and didn't even bother tracking wait times, to a Liberal government that has gotten results like the shortest wait times in Canada, opening 18 hospitals, hiring over 11,500 nurses and delivering almost 3,000 new doctors meaning 1.3 million people have a family doctor, Ontario's public healthcare system is on the right track.

Ontario Liberals will moving Ontario's healthcare system forward by creating home health care, to help every Ontarian, particularly seniors, have better access to healthcare services. Liberals are supporting families who work together to get through tough times with the new Family Caregiver Leave, allowing paid leave to hard-working Ontario families who need to support ill family members. We'll fight the battle against cancer with the creation of the Personalized Cancer Risk Profile system, help more Ontario families win the battle against cancer.

Liberals are also dedicated to improving child and mental health, so all Ontarians feel like belong.

A serious issue like healthcare needs a serious plan, and leadership to see thing through. Dalton McGuinty has that plan and that leadership.

Liberals built this!

www.liberalsbuiltthis.ca

Had a great time this weekend taking part in the province wide Ontario Young Liberal blitz showing the great investments that the Ontario Liberal Party has made in families and communities across the province. Be it new schools, investing in our local health care systems, enhancing our libraries and communities centres, or improving transportation systems to get families and our economy moving, Liberals are on the right track in ensuring a strong Ontario.

By the numbers: Ontario is on track

Tim Hudak vs. health care

Tim Hudak on health care, yesterday:

"I know how important our health services truly are…healthcare will be our top funding priority"

That's interesting, but let's take a look at what Mike Harris had to say about health care spending in 1995 before he got elected:

"We will not cut health care spending. It’s far too important." (1995 PC platform, pg 7)

That PC promise to not cut important health care spending ended up with unchecked wait times, 28 hospitals shut down, and 6000 nurses fired, and Hudak personally lead the way as Parliamentary Assisstant to the Minister of Health. Tim Hudak's reckless rookie scheming can't hide his real record of slashing public health services that Ontario families deserve.

PC positions on health care are cartoonish

http://www.xtranormal.com/watch/11214013/

Little cartoon I made showing Tim Hudak's misadventures and flip-flops on public health care. Remember, "everything is on the table"!

I really really like Keith Martin

Two great articles, one about Martin's effort to decriminalize marijuana, and one by Martin about the future of Canadian healthcare. I could not agree more with both articles:

http://www.vancouversun.com/news/Change+wind+decriminalization+marijuana+possession/1472251/story.html

http://www.nationalpost.com/todays-paper/story.html?id=1471153

The NHS and implications for Canada

http://www.economist.com/world/britain/displayStory.cfm?story_id=11670271

I'm a regular reader of The Economist, and while this article is focused on the British national health service, (celebrating it's 60th year) the analysis of the role of the private sector in maintaining a publicly funded service is excellent, and I believe the Canadian health care system can learn lessons from the NHS.

Charles Sousa, Mississauga South Liberal Candidate, on health care

In 2003, the future of our publicly funded health care system was at risk.

There weren’t enough family physicians, wait times weren’t being measured let alone reduced, and hospitals were being closed.

The Liberal government is making real progress.

We set ambitious targets to combat wait times and we have met those targets. In Mississauga South, we invested in the Trillium Health Centre as part of our successful Wait Time Strategy. As a result, wait times have been reduced by 78% for angiography, 57% for angioplasty, 64% for cataract surgery, 26% for hip replacements, 42% for knee replacements, 23% for cancer surgeries, 48% for CT scans and 41% for MRIs.

We have invested millions to redevelop and expand our local hospitals. Construction of a new wing at the Trillium Health Centre is underway and will include 135 beds, as well as expand cardiac surgery, diagnostic, intensive care and support services. Credit Valley Hospital is undergoing an expansion that includes additional beds, operating and procedure rooms, and space for clinical services, including complex continuing care and palliative care.

We’ve invested in medical technology so that we can offer the best treatments and services available closer to home, including a new MRI machine at the Trillium Health Centre and a cancer centre and radiation treatment bunker at Credit Valley Hospital.

We’ve also delivered better access to family doctors. Half a million more Ontarians now have access to a family doctor thanks to increased medical school spaces, 150 new Family Health Teams and an expanded number of spaces for internationally trained doctors so they can practice medicine here. Starting in 2008, some of these doctors will be trained in our community at the new University of Toronto at Mississauga medical campus.

And we’re going to do more. Our plan to further strengthen health care means that we will deliver 50 more Family Health Teams, create 100 more medical school spaces and accredit more internationally trained doctors so that another 500,000 more Ontarians will have access to a family doctor.

We will also expand our progress on wait times to more services: emergency room visits, children’s surgery and general surgery.

In contrast, John Tory intends to rip $3 billion out of public health care, plus another $1.5 billion in unidentified cuts, which puts the progress we’ve made in health care at risk.

We’ve come a long way since the days of firing nurses and closing hospitals. We can’t afford to turn back to the days of Conservative cuts and neglect.

On October 10th I ask for your support – together, we can keep Ontario moving forward.