For immediate release:
November 15, 2012
Simcoe — There are 600,000 women and men in Ontario who didn’t have a job to go to this morning, hoping their elected officials can help turn our province’s economy around – yet this morning, like every other morning for the past month, those hopes have been dashed by the Premier’s prorogation and parliamentary shut down.
“One month ago, Mr. McGuinty shut down the Legislature in the midst of a jobs and debt crisis to escape fallout from a growing list of scandals,” stated Haldimand-Norfolk MPP Toby Barrett. “From the $1-billion for the cancelled Mississauga and Oakville gas plants to the $2 billion eHealth boondoggle and the Ornge air ambulance revelations, this government has managed to escape scrutiny and responsibility while ensuring overspending and waste continues.”
Rather than being accountable for their decisions, the governing party is holding a leadership race that won’t wrap up until the end of January.
“With the legislative doors shut, Mr. McGuinty has put a government on autopilot, allowing the economy to continue its downward spiral while debt accumulates,” Barrett charged. “They’ve sent the message to businesses and credit rating agencies that the made-in-Ontario jobs and debt crisis continues.”
October marked the 70th consecutive month that the provincial unemployment rate has been above the national average.
Meantime, one month later, it’s become clear the Premier misled Ontarians when he claimed he was proroguing to allow direct talks with public sector unions on wage-freeze — and at the same time deal with the Official Opposition on coming up with legislation forcing a freeze should the unions balk. But since that time, the government has announced a total of one deal – with the Ontario Medical Association – while talks with the Opposition have never materialized in any substantive way.
“Bottom line, MPPs need to be back in the House, passing legislation to help balance the budget, eliminate trade barriers, modernize our apprenticeship system and lower taxes,” Barrett asserted. “There are some serious legislative issues on the energy front and the jobs front that need to be debated.”
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For more information, please contact MPP Toby Barrett at: (416) 325-8404,
(519) 428-0446 or 1-800-903-8629