(Queen’s Park) MPP Randy Hillier (Lanark-Frontenac-Lennox and Addington) stood firm on his convictions and unwavering belief in the principles of democracy today, and along with caucus colleague Bill Murdoch (Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound) was asked to leave the House for standing against the Liberal HST bill.
The McGuinty government has refused to hold public consultations across the province on their proposed harmonized tax, and with his constituents overwhelmingly asking him to oppose the legislation, Mr. Hillier refused to leave the House when approached by the Sergeant-at-Arms.
“Drastic times call for drastic measures,” stated Hillier before entering the House for the afternoon session today. “I will not stand by silently while the people I represent are hoodwinked by an abuse of the democratic process.”
A few minutes into the afternoon session, Mr. Murdoch stated “Where I come from, Dalton McGuinty is a liar.” After refusing to withdraw this statement, the Speaker ejected Mr. Murdoch from the House, however the PC caucus surrounded the Member from Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound, making it impossible for the Sgt-at-Arms to carry out the ejection. The Speaker then suspended Mr. Murdoch for the duration of the session.
Moments later, with all members of the Official Opposition delaying the proceedings, the Speaker then singled out Mr. Hillier and ordered him ejected. Again the Sgt.-at-Arms was unable to comply with the Speaker's order, and Hillier was ordered suspended for the duration of the session.
Mr. Hillier remains in the House, standing for his principles and his fundamental belief that the democratic abuses of this Liberal government have gone too far.
Randy Hillier, MPP Lanark Frontenac Lennox, is a co-founder of the Lanark Landowners Association, which was brought to life to address government imposition on the rights of private property owners, and to address the regressive regulatory impositions that government was bringing down upon farmers and business owners in rural Ontario.
In 2006, Randy resigned as President of the OLA in order to run as a candidate for the Progressive Conservatives. Randy was elected in the 2007 provincial election.
Randy a long-time resident of Lanark County, an electrician by trade and member of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW), continues to co-publish and edit rural Ontario’s successful magazine “The Landowner.”
