The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

"I think it will be Mike Harris again. 1 don‘t know why. 1 think hes done OK (as premier). And 1 think people are used to him." Decision ‘99 [X The Family Coalition Party candiâ€" date for the provincial riding of Kitchâ€" enerâ€"Waterloo says his party favours the eventual elimination of regional government although he necessarily doesn‘t. Lou Reitzel said in an interview late last week he had mixed feelings on the success of regional government in the Region of Waterloo "Is it saving money or isn‘t it?" he asked. "I don‘t have the facts. I don‘t know." _ "The FCP view on it is the FCP would initiate a complete review of regional government and possibly phase them out within five years," he said. * Sean Strickland Liberal Although Reitzel said he hadn‘t made up his mind whether the Region of Waterloo should have one or two ters of government, he did say his party had clear views on the matter. system of govectunent for the Region i1 of Wasadde *‘ /riarnss a! Sean Strickland says he supports a reformed and more efficient twoâ€"tier Who‘s going to win tomorrow‘s ? hi an? Ann Lazarevic "It‘s hard to say. I think Harris will. He‘s done a lot for schools and stufl like that. So 1 think Mike Harris will." "I think that a twoâ€"tier system can work effectively and efficiently," Strickland said about the Region of Waterloo. "And 1 do believe that some reform needs to take place and that there can be some efficiencies and savâ€" ings achieved by having water, sewage and possibly garbage at the upper tier." "But you know if the question is moving to a singleâ€"tier government, 1 don‘t think that‘s the right answer," he said. "You know the people who are advocating a oneâ€"tier government for services â€" in fairness, I‘m not quite certain if they have all the facts." Strickland said such services as recreation, parks, cemeteries and some forms of planning were best delivered by a lowerâ€"ner government He also said he favoured direct elecâ€" tion of regronal councillors to sit on a separate regional council only. "I think that would also provide for more effective government," he said. Elizabeth Witmer PC «P "We‘ve had well over 25 years of ; regional governmentt antl it has been Elizabeth Witmer, the Conservative _ sadly ineffective," said Greenwoodâ€" Donald Markell Provincial candidates discuss regional reform "The Liberals 1 hope. Because 1 think we need a more moderate approach to our government. And we need people who are more kindâ€" hearted." That plan should also study if fireâ€" fighting, regional emergency dispatch and rationalization of computer serâ€" vices should also come under one level of government. Judy Greenwoodâ€"Speers Green Party Witmer said she was also commitâ€" ted to seeing a local solution to the local governance issue "We need a local solution to the question of regional reform and we need to ensure there is opportunity lor discussion and direct input from the community before any final decrâ€" sion is made," she said "Key to anything is a local solution and a opportunity for a local input as to what the final solution is for regional reform." Judy Greenwoodâ€"Speers, the candiâ€" date for the Green Party in Waterloo, would like to see oneâ€"tier government locally with the eventual elimination of the regional level of government Muriel Wray Speers, who once ran for regional council. "I‘m not convinced if we should have regional government per say, or whether it should be a cooperâ€" ative between the city mayors and rural mayors. "But I‘m not convinced we need to have a regional government anymore. It‘s had its chance, they have not taken the lead, and they have not shown the leadership â€" plain and simple." Any solution to the local goverâ€" nance issue should also be local said Greenwoodâ€"Speers. "Any amaigamaâ€" tion should be generated from the local level because it‘s the local comâ€" munity that needs to find its own solutions," she said. Workable solumons should be brought forward by the respective parâ€" ties in a fair, informative way. When local citizens get all the facts the issue should be put to a local vote. "The Conservatives. L just think the other two parties don‘t have a substantial background (on the issues}. I don‘t feel confident they‘ve researched their issues well enough to be able to deliver on what they say." "There should be a process in place for good information, fairly given, and then a referendum." said Greenwoodâ€" Speers. "If I was at the provincial level and you had a referendum, that‘s what the local community wants â€" they get to decide their future." "I would be against the takeover of rural lands by the city," she said. "That just contributes to urban sprawl and eliminates our farmland and wetland. Thats very shortsighted and we will." never recover from it." 0;{ Greenwoodâ€"Speers is also against a potential land grab by the three cities in the region. She said that farmland has to be protected against unchecked development. d. "I think there are processes that can i. outkon d old Anida o e nw Mdimare sbmse rovie ty sn $409® Ted Martin says he doesn‘t believe its his place to offer an opinion on the possible reformâ€"of government within the Region of Waterloo. The New Democratic Party candiâ€" date for the provincial riding of Kitchâ€" enerâ€"Waterloo said in an interview Ted Martin NDP last Thursday whether local residents want a oneâ€"tier level of local governâ€" ment or a reformed twoâ€"tier system, that should be completely up to them and their local governments to decide. One thing he said he wouldn‘t be in favour of would be a local governâ€" ment solution imposed on the region by the provincial government. "I‘m completely against a shotgun wedding for the region, with the preâ€" mietr holding the gun," Martin said. "And I think that‘s what we have "But whatever reform, it needs ta come from the residents and be supâ€" ported by the residents," Martin said. "L mean I‘m all for eliminating dupliâ€" cavion and waste, but not at the cost of community." now Martin said if local municipalinies did come up with a proposed radical governmental reform of the region, it would have to be approved in a referâ€" endum. But he wouldn‘t say, if he became the riding‘s MPP, how he might help try and implement a favoured proposal. "L don‘t even know. L haven‘t been keeping up with it that much. But actually, Mike Harris, as much as he may (seem) to be disliked, 1 think he‘s quite popular. 1 think he has a very good chance of making it back." Sean Lyons