Jack MacLaren takes on City Hall

Libertarian landowner Jack MacLaren's victory over political veteran Norm Sterling for the Ontario PC nomination in Carleton-Mississippi Mills was met with shock and awe, both from within the party and from those of us on the outside. In fact MacLaren seemed to be the only one who didn't seem surprised last Thursday night. Whether he wins a seat at Queen's Park this fall or not, no one should be surprised if MacLaren emerges as bur under the City's saddle. The criticism began minutes after he secured the nomination.

"As government grows and we bcome more and more regulated, small business and the private sector shrinks," MacLaren told reporters. "I had breakfast at Pinto Valley Ranch last week, that ranch has been there for three generations, they had a restaurant before. The City of Ottawa now thinks that they need to get this other permit or land use designation change to conform to some government requirement for only 16-thousand dollars. How many bacon and eggs do you have to flip and fry before you make 16-thousand dollars? That's a crime when a small business that everyone enjoys and appreciates in the community is going to be put out of business because of some stupid regulation."

Where rural meets urban and different ways of life collide, expect more of this from Jack MacLaren in the months ahead.