In my most recent article called IS YOUR MPP WORTH $1 MILLION?, I talked about Essex MPP Taras Natyshak (NDP). In that article, I stated that Mr. Natyshak had been paid over $1 million since he was elected but, over the last 9 years, had really failed to become expert at anything, and was rather just an under-active complainer. And to provide further proof of this, Mr. Natyshak demonstrated it again on August 12, 2019.
On that date, Ontario Minister of Transportation Caroline Mulroney attended Essex County to announce that the provincial government was beginning the process to widen Highway 3 from Kingsville to Essex. Of course, you don't just widen a highway overnight. The government must do the Environmental Assessment, acquire rights-of-way by purchasing land, complete the engineering for the construction, and hire a bunch of qualified people who know how to put all this together so taxpayers don't get fleeced during the tender process.
Widening a highway is a big job. A very big job. A multi-year job. Lots of things can go wrong, get delayed, go sideways. Every step needs oversight.
On that date, Ontario Minister of Transportation Caroline Mulroney attended Essex County to announce that the provincial government was beginning the process to widen Highway 3 from Kingsville to Essex. Of course, you don't just widen a highway overnight. The government must do the Environmental Assessment, acquire rights-of-way by purchasing land, complete the engineering for the construction, and hire a bunch of qualified people who know how to put all this together so taxpayers don't get fleeced during the tender process.
Widening a highway is a big job. A very big job. A multi-year job. Lots of things can go wrong, get delayed, go sideways. Every step needs oversight.
So when the government announces a big project like this, you don't expect bulldozers to start moving earth tomorrow morning at 9:00 a.m. Even the most amateur of political observers would not expect that.
But apparently the MPP in Essex does. He was expecting "shovels in the ground." You can read the full Windsor Star article. Here is the relevant part of Natyshak's quote from the Windsor Star:
But apparently the MPP in Essex does. He was expecting "shovels in the ground." You can read the full Windsor Star article. Here is the relevant part of Natyshak's quote from the Windsor Star:
Okay. I'm a fair guy. I'm willing to let Mr. Natyshak explain himself. What, according to Mr. Natyshak, is the "time frame that we need"? What is the "time frame," Mr. Natyshak? In fact, Mr. Natyshak has never provided a time frame. If he were the Ontario Minister of Transportation, when would Highway 3 get done? In 7 years? In 5 years? In 3 years? He has never given any time frame himself. Never.
How about this one: "Lives are at risk and we can't wait any longer." Okay, again, I'm a fair guy. I'm willing to let Mr. Natyshak explain himself. If we can't wait any longer, then we are going to have to skip some steps. Which steps should we skip? The Environmental Assessment? (Can't skip that because it's the law). Shall we skip land acquisition? (Can't skip that, because you can't pave a road on someone else's land. It's called trespassing). How about the engineering? (Yes, you can skip that, but that would put even more lives at risk).
No, we can't skip any of those steps. Realistically, this is a multi-year project, and it will take lots of time and money. Shovels will not be in the ground tomorrow morning. But we should all be very happy that the preliminary phase has begun.
Let's compare Natyshak's comments with those of Essex County Warden, and Mayor of Tecumseh, Gary McNamara. You can read all of Mr. McNamara's comments on AM 800, but here are the relevant parts:
How about this one: "Lives are at risk and we can't wait any longer." Okay, again, I'm a fair guy. I'm willing to let Mr. Natyshak explain himself. If we can't wait any longer, then we are going to have to skip some steps. Which steps should we skip? The Environmental Assessment? (Can't skip that because it's the law). Shall we skip land acquisition? (Can't skip that, because you can't pave a road on someone else's land. It's called trespassing). How about the engineering? (Yes, you can skip that, but that would put even more lives at risk).
No, we can't skip any of those steps. Realistically, this is a multi-year project, and it will take lots of time and money. Shovels will not be in the ground tomorrow morning. But we should all be very happy that the preliminary phase has begun.
Let's compare Natyshak's comments with those of Essex County Warden, and Mayor of Tecumseh, Gary McNamara. You can read all of Mr. McNamara's comments on AM 800, but here are the relevant parts:
It sounds like Mr. McNamara has an appreciation for what it takes to get large highway projects done. It sounds like he has learned something from the 25 or 30 years he has been in politics. It sounds like he knows what he is talking about. This is what a politician sounds like when he is an advocate for the County of Essex.
By the way, the Warden of Essex County gets paid a lot less than the MPP for Essex. The Warden of Essex County gets paid a base salary of about $67,000 per year. The MPP for the riding of Essex gets paid $116,500 per year. Mr. Natyshak has been paid over $1 million since he was elected in 2011, which is why I call him the million-dollar man. Only the voters of Essex may judge whether he was worth it.
By the way, the Warden of Essex County gets paid a lot less than the MPP for Essex. The Warden of Essex County gets paid a base salary of about $67,000 per year. The MPP for the riding of Essex gets paid $116,500 per year. Mr. Natyshak has been paid over $1 million since he was elected in 2011, which is why I call him the million-dollar man. Only the voters of Essex may judge whether he was worth it.