For over 33 years I have been a dedicated advocate for the protection of Oakville’s green space for future generations, including Glen Abbey Golf Course.

I protected more than 600 acres of land that the PC government wanted to pave, creating the Glenorchy Conservation Area. In fact, Oakville was the site of the first expansion of the Greenbelt by adding Glenorchy, Bronte Creek and 16-Mile Creek. I received the Conservation Halton Award of Excellence for this work.

The PCs shamefully voted against the Greenbelt. The previous Conservative government sold the Saw-Whet Golf Course from public ownership to developers. PC Leader Doug Ford has threatened to do the same to protected Greenbelt space if he is elected.

I am fighting against Ford’s reckless threats. I was proud to recently announce the transfer of the Deerfield Golf Course and Fourteen Mile Creek conservation lands to the Town of Oakville to be preserved.

After many years of personal advocacy, our government also abolished the OMB and formed the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal. With the creation of the tribunal, the determination of Glen Abbey's future will be made locally, here in Oakville.

I am proud to be a champion of Oakville’s green space.

Lesley Sprague • NDP

The NDP understands and respects local government, which is the closest to the people and provides the infrastructure and services that people rely on every day. I believe it should be up to the elected government in Oakville to make decisions about good planning in the public interest. Having said this, as a resident of Oakville, I would like to see our green space kept in stewardship and used more publicly.

The local council has policies and plans in place that will restrict development at the Glen Abbey Golf Course. I would have no intention of second-guessing that or putting private interest in Oakville or anywhere else.

Before the 2003 election, the Liberals promised to reform the unaccountable and unelected Ontario Municipal Board and broke that promise for 14 years, doing nothing as the OMB put powerful private interests ahead of good planning and the public interest.

Replacing the OMB with the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal (LPAT) is a good start. An NDP government would ensure that the LPAT lives up to its mandate, and that local communities and planners are respected and supported when they invest time and resources in consulting with the community and getting support for updated land use plans and policies.

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EDITOR'S NOTE: Candidate Spencer Oklobdzija (Libertarian) did not respond by the Beaver's May 14 deadline.