The mandate of the Ontario Landowners Association (OLA) includes the objective to “Educate the public that the greatest threat to Ontario is excessive legislation and over regulation”. A perfect place to engage the public is the annual Ottawa Valley Farm Show which this year was held on March 11-13. For the past four years now the OLA has had a booth at the Show. It was a busy three days at our booth with almost steady traffic stopping to say hello and wish us well.
We have come a long way in four years. We have a lot more experience with unfair regulations and by-laws and the tactics that are used by some provincial and municipal officers to control our land. Property owners are starting to fight back and there is a growing number of successful court cases where governments and their agencies have been told that they don’t have the rights they thought they had.
The other observation that can be made is the recognition of the OLA “brand”. Many people stopping at the booth were members or at least supporters of our cause. Some stopped by to thank Tom Black in person for the help he had provided to them in the past. Many had subscriptions to the Landowner magazine.
If you are at in the neighbourhood next year, drop by our booth and say hello. The 2015 Ottawa Valley Farm Show will be held on March 10-12 at the Ernst & Young Centre, 4899 Uplands Drive, Ottawa.
Well, I’m getting tired of winter and being cold. Hope you have managed to weather the winds and blustering snow and are ready for SPRING!! The landowner phones across the province continue to ring at an ever alarming rate. Calls for help from around Ontario seem to fall into one of four main categories: Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) or Conservation Authorities telling the landowner what he cannot do on his land and that costly “fines” will follow if he walks, digs or rides a dirt bike across his property; the OSPCA has removed animals without just cause or use of common sense: the Municipal bylaw bullies have threatened large fines for ridiculous and unacceptable excuses for a law i.e. no blue boxes allowed on porches and lastly, the Green Energy Act and its ripple effects on skyrocketing Hydro bills. Municipal Property Assessment Corporation (MPAC) complaints come in as a close fifth.