FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 22, 2011
QUEEN’S PARK — Haldimand-Norfolk MPP Toby Barrett says the throne speech for the new McGuinty minority government continues down the same uncontrolled spending, debt building path of the old McGuinty majority.
“In the run-up to today’s throne speech we heard a lot of words suggesting fiscal restraint – but today’s throne speech is a clear reminder of where this government’s empty words have led us before,” Barrett forewarned following the throne speech. “Once again, Mr. McGuinty has failed to address Ontario’s job crisis and has failed to address Ontario’s debt crisis.
“Instead, he is adding $2.5 billion in new spending to a deficit that has already gone up by $1 billion since the election.”
Barrett noted that for the last 47 days since the election, Opposition Leader Tim Hudak has proposed solutions to Ontario’s urgent jobs and debt crisis – solutions that went ignored in today’s throne speech. He added that McGuinty has also missed the opportunity to provide real relief on energy bills by refusing to remove the HST from electricity and home-heating as ratepayers have been demanding.
“Make no mistake, Dalton McGuinty’s spending problem and the jobs crisis his failed policies have created must be addressed,” indicated Barrett. “One thing’s for sure in this minority situation, we in Opposition will be using all tools at our disposal to ensure government will be held to account for the spending of our hard-earned tax dollars.”
Barrett said the stronger PC Caucus will focus on sending Ontario’s economy down the right path in this new session of the Legislature.
Tomorrow the Ontario PC Caucus will be introducing an amendment to this Throne Speech motion that:
o Addresses our jobs crisis by reforming our apprenticeship system to create 200,000 skilled trades jobs; and
o Addresses our debt crisis by calling for a legislated, mandatory wage freeze for the public sector
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For more information contact: Toby Barrett at 1-800-903-8629 or 519-428-0446