A year of accomplishments is marked by new MPP
By Dr. Helena Jaczek MPP

As the new MPP for Oak Ridges-Markham, I am very pleased to offer New Year's greetings to you.

For many of us, the end of the year and the holiday season is a time for reflection - a time to look back on the year that was, to what we've achieved and how we've progressed.

It is also a time to look ahead at the endless possibilities in the coming year.

My constituency office is now open and located at Suite 201, 137 Main St. North, Markham, (905) 294- 4931 or 1-866-531-9551. I look forward to assisting you with any provincial matters. In fact, I welcome your comments on government service. You will help me to know more about what is happening in our community.

Since the election, we have been hard at work in a number of areas. Whether it be protecting our environment or securing our economy, our government is working for you.

Take climate change, one of the greatest threats to our environment. In tackling this problem, we are turning it into an opportunity to create the next generation of green technology and the good jobs that will come with it.

We set aggressive greenhouse gas reduction targets to address some of the root causes of climate change because we want a sustainable future to be there for our children. It's important that the federal government do the same, which is why Premier McGuinty wrote to Prime Minister Stephen Harper, encouraging him to stand up for Canada and commit to greenhouse gas reductions.

Since the election, we have passed legislation that gives military families immediate OHIP coverage when they come to Ontario. It also gives reservists peace of mind - they can serve our country knowing that their jobs back home are protected.

We have a strong plan to move Ontario forward. Both education and health care have been the bedrock of this government. That is why we will continue making investments to strengthen both our schools and our hospitals.

To begin, we will work towards full-day learning for children aged four and five.

In health care, we're going to get a family doctor for 500,000 more Ontarians while tackling wait times in our emergency rooms.

Our government will continue to strengthen our economy, by keeping taxes competitive and investing in the education and skills of our people. At the same time, we will work with business and labour to create good, highpaying jobs.

The government is making strategic investments in people, communities and infrastructure to strengthen Ontario's economic advantage and help manufacturers and other sectors challenged by current economic conditions. The 2007 Fall Economic Outlook and Fiscal Review introduced an additional $1.4 billion to be invested in public infrastructure to create jobs and boost competitiveness. But we didn't stop there; we also committed a total of $1.1 billion in business tax reductions over three years to provide immediate tax relief for businesses, encouraging them to invest and help create and preserve jobs.

I am enormously proud to serve as your elected representative in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario. I can assure you that our government will continue this work in the months and years ahead. I wish the best for you and your family in the year to come, and look forward to meeting you.