Re: Office hours of MP Chris Charlton

The Liberals have an ad on the internet criticizing MP Chris Charlton for having phone hours till 1 p.m. The ad leaves the impression that these are the only hours the constituency office is open and has staff available.

Many doctors only respond to phone calls from 9 a.m. to noon, and from 1-2 p.m. This does not mean that medical office workers only work those hours. They are busy setting up specialist appointments, renewing prescriptions, tending to patient appointments, fulfilling government mandated billings and reports, etc.

I'm positive the same is true of many other office situations, including MPs. I personally have never left a message and not had it returned within one day at Ms. Charlton's office. When they are not answering the phones they are doing follow ups on constituent cases, responding to constituent letters, talking to other government offices on behalf of constituents, dealing with a myriad of local issues, trying to get funding for local groups and initiatives, doing research and performing outreach duties on behalf of Ms. Charlton as well as many other duties to numerous to mention.

I challenge local Liberals to contact Liberal MPPs and MPs and get a quicker response.

In Canada, I've always been proud that we rarely lower ourselves to dirty attack ads. I believe the Liberals are trying to besmirch a good and hardworking MP. They should be ashamed.

Pat File

Hamilton Mountain