For immediate release:
June 1, 2012
QUEEN’S PARK — Both Ontario’s Premier and the Finance Minister have waded into public sector compensation legislation introduced by Haldimand Norfolk’s Toby Barrett.
During Question Period, both McGuinty and Duncan challenged the limiting of compensation to GDP economic growth described in Barrett’s Bill 94 – Addressing Ontario’s Debt Through Alternatives to Public Sector Layoffs and Program Cuts Act, 2012
In response to questions on MPP Jeff Yurek’s Private Members Bill to freeze wages for two years, McGuinty cited, “the other private member’s bill put forward by one of his colleagues, the member from Haldimand–Norfolk, whose bill proposes that we limit compensation to the annual rate of economic growth.”
As well, Dwight Duncan chimed in later, “your colleague over there introduced another bill that ties wage increases to GDP.”
To help the Premier and Finance Minister better understand, MPP Barrett has forwarded them a Backgrounder (attached) indicating measures going forward in his proposed legislation are designed to accomplish longer-term sustainability of public sector compensation, beyond a two year wage freeze.
“A projected debt of $411.4 billion requires Herculean efforts to avoid an economic precipice of Greek-like proportions,” Barrett exclaimed. “I ask that Mr. McGuinty and Mr. Duncan consider the public sector compensation options laid out in my Bill and the Backgrounder.”
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For more information, please contact MPP Toby Barrett at: (416) 325-8404,
(519) 428-0446 or 1-800-903-8629