“Christine understands what government must do to make Ontario a better place for families and job creation,” said Hudak. “While the McGuinty Liberals continue to deepen Ontario’s economic crisis, the Ontario PC Party is promoting solutions to rein in government spending, and create jobs.”

“I’m proud to represent the residents of Whitby-Oshawa, and honoured to continue working on their behalf.” said Elliott.

“The McGuinty Liberals have put Ontario on track for a $30 billion deficit. They’ve watched as credit rating agencies have downgraded the Province on three different occasions. Our unemployment rates have been higher than the national average for 63 consecutive months. It’s time to rein in spending, and begin re-building our Province.”

“We’ve already made a series of proposals that would create jobs for the more than 500,000 unemployed Ontarians and put our province on the path to prosperity. As Chair of the Job Creation Task Force, I’m looking forward to releasing more ideas for job creation later in the year.”

Specific Ontario PC plans for private sector job growth include:

• Creating a safe environment for businesses to invest and expand by balancing the budget.
• Lowering taxes for job-creating businesses, and cutting red-tape for small businesses.
• Delivering more affordable energy by eliminating costly wind and solar subsidies.
• Facilitating job growth through partnering with, rather than policing businesses.
• Creating 200,000 jobs by modernizing the apprenticeship system.

Elliott was first elected to the provincial Legislature in a March 2006 by-election and re-elected in 2007 and 2011. She currently serves as the Deputy Leader of the Official Opposition and as Critic for Health and Long-Term Care and Citizenship and Immigration in Ontario PC Leader Tim Hudak’s shadow cabinet.

Elliott also serves as Chair of the Ontario PC Job Creation Task Force.

QUEEN’S PARK – Only Tim Hudak and the Ontario PC Caucus see the urgency to take immediate action and implement a legislated mandatory public-sector wage freeze, Ontario PC Deputy Finance Critic Jeff Yurek said today.

Yurek made the comments while tabling his Comprehensive Public Sector Compensation & Wage Freeze Act. The bill would freeze salaries for all public-sector workers including bureaucrats, teachers and fire fighters.

“If the Liberals were serious about introducing a mandatory wage freeze they could have announced it in their March budget,” Yurek said. “Rather, day after day they side-step their responsibilities to slay the red menace that is the province’s looming $30-billion deficit and $411-billion debt,” Yurek added.

“Only Tim Hudak and the Ontario PC Caucus are committed to getting the job done and enshrining into law a mandatory public-sector wage freeze.”

Legislation is necessary because the Liberals have failed to achieve a wage freeze through negotiation. The Ministry of Labour has admitted that agreements are getting negotiated for increases.

“Since labour costs represent more than half of all spending, we can’t balance the budget without freezing public-sector salaries,” Yurek added.

The Canadian Federation of Independent Business found that when taking paid and unpaid benefits into consideration, public-sector workers make up to 27 per cent more in wages than their private-sector counterparts.

Yurek added that a wage freeze is not only about reining in out of control spending but also about encouraging businesses to invest, create jobs and pursue their next big ideas right here in Ontario.

“Businesspeople and entrepreneurs know that heavily indebted governments can’t afford the things that make them attractive places to relocate to, or invest in, or create new jobs. Things like a talented skilled work force, reliable roads, stable bridges, and modern hospitals.”

“We’re running out of time and money. We have to restore investor confidence and put Ontario on a path toward reducing the size and cost of government and enabling private-sector job creation.

“With half a million men and women out of work, all MPPs have a responsibility to guarantee this bill becomes law as soon as possible,” Yurek concluded.

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MISSISSAUGA – Ontario can again become the engine of Canada’s economy, but only if we take immediate steps to get the fundamentals right and allow small businesses to grow and create jobs, PC Leader Tim Hudak said today.

Hudak brought his pro-growth message to CanUs Industries of Mississauga – makers of quality furnishings and, like most manufacturers, highly sensitive to the cost of energy.

“We need policies that encourage growth – not slow it down,” Hudak said. “We especially need to treat energy policy as key to the success of Ontario’s small businesses and entrepreneurs.”

To propose new approaches to getting power costs under control for businesses, industry and households alike, Hudak and the Ontario PC Caucus released Paths to Prosperity: Affordable Energy earlier this week.

“It’s the first in a series of discussion papers to fix Ontario’s economic fundamentals, get our fiscal house in order, avert a looming $30 billion deficit and help the private sector – especially small businesses – create jobs,” Hudak said.

The paper explores ways to return government to its proper, limited role in the sector, Hudak added. “The government’s role is to conduct long-term planning and ensure strong, independent regulation – but power must be provided by companies competing to offer the best price using the most efficient technologies.”

Paths to Prosperity: Affordable Energy is built around a series of ideas for significant change in who owns the electricity sector, a return to competitive bidding for power generation and ways to save consumers money.

“All of these proposals speak to the fundamental challenge Ontario is facing today – that jobs are fleeing the province,” Hudak emphasized. “We are at a turning point. Urgent action and big ideas are needed to grow our economy, give small businesses a boost and balance the budget.”

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“Frank has earned the confidence of his community over and over again because they know they can count on him to represent their priorities,” said Hudak. “While the McGuinty Liberals continue to deepen Ontario’s economic crisis, the Ontario PC Party is promoting solutions to create new jobs and rein in government spending.”

“I’m honoured to continue representing our community by being out front every day to promote positive ideas to tackle McGuinty’s spending and jobs crisis,” said Klees.

“We’ve made a series of strong, principled proposals that would create hope and jobs for the more than 500,000 Ontarians looking for jobs and put our province on the path to recovery, which McGuinty continues to ignore as his budget puts Ontario on the road to a $30 billion deficit.”

“It’s the wrong path for Ontario,” stated Klees, noting several specific Ontario PC plans for private sector job growth which include:

• Balancing the budget to encourage businesses to expand and hire
• Lowering taxes for job-creating businesses
• Eliminating costly and failed wind and solar subsidies for more affordable energy
• A more flexible and responsive approach to regulation, and
• More skilled trades jobs by modernizing the apprenticeship system.

Klees was first elected to the Ontario Legislature in 1995 and currently serves as Transportation and Infrastructure Critic in Ontario PC Leader Tim Hudak’s shadow cabinet.

QUEEN’S PARK – Tim Hudak and Energy Critic Vic Fedeli today released the first in a series of Ontario PC Paths to Prosperity white papers, designed to get the job creation and investment fundamentals in our province right.

“Ontario must tackle its deficit problem and its economic growth problem simultaneously,” Hudak said. “We must reduce the size and cost of government – but we can’t cut our way to prosperity. We need policies that will encourage growth and job creation, not slow them down.”

Fedeli said high on the list is affordable energy, as a cornerstone of economic growth: “So we consulted widely on the future of Ontario’s power sector – from energy developers and pension plans to sector experts both in and outside government, and think-tanks.

“The result is this first Paths to Prosperity white paper, which identifies the strongest ideas we heard for bringing energy prices under control for entrepreneurs, industry and consumers alike.”

Hudak said that the paper explores ways to return government to its proper, limited role in the sector: “The government’s role is to conduct long-term planning and ensure strong, independent regulation – but power must be provided by companies competing to offer the best price using the most efficient technologies.”

Paths to Prosperity: Affordable Energy is built around a series of ideas for significant change in who owns the electricity sector, a return to competitive bidding for power generation and ways to save consumers money.

“All of these proposals speak to the fundamental challenge Ontario is facing today – that jobs are fleeing the province,” Hudak emphasized. “We are at a turning point. Urgent action and big ideas are needed to grow our economy and balance the budget.”

Hudak said that the Paths to Prosperity series is one way he is executing on a commitment, made immediately following the last election, that he and the Ontario PC Caucus would focus like a laser beam on jobs and the economy.

“After Drummond – and certainly following the 2012 budget – it’s clear that the current government is out of ideas and unwilling to make the bold changes we need,” Hudak said.

“We are prepared to come forward to fill that void with credible new ideas. Ontarians won’t settle for anemic economic growth – and neither will we.”

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QUEEN’S PARK – The Ontario PC Caucus is primed for bold action and new ideas in the face of mounting evidence that the government is incapable of moving to grow our economy, balance the budget and kick-start job creation, Leader Tim Hudak said today.

“This government is adrift,” Hudak said. “Friday’s jump in unemployment is just the latest wake-up call it has refused to acknowledge – short of an announcement later that day that they would set up another advisory council to talk about it some more.”

Hudak cited the cherry-picking of the Drummond report, the fatal flaws of the 2012 budget and its wasteful political horse-trading, a credit downgrade and no action on public sector wage restraint. “Ontario is at a turning point, and decisive steps are needed. This week the PC Caucus is stepping up to the plate, with new initiatives to start turning our province around.”

Wednesday’s Ontario PC wage freeze bill is an example of taking action in the face of continued government paralysis, Hudak added: “An immediate freeze would save $2 billion – helping reduce the size and cost of government to safeguard health care and education.”

Just as important, Hudak said, scaling back the size of the public sector will create more room in the economy for the private sector to grow and create jobs.

“The total amount paid to public sector workers in Ontario has jumped by 46 per cent since 2003,” Hudak noted, which is as unsustainable as it is unfair to the people who pay their wages while struggling with their own stagnating private sector incomes.

Hudak said he and the PC Caucus are prepared to step into the vacuum left by this government’s petty tinkering and inability to manage competently, and “plant their flags” with thoughtful, credible ideas that encourage job creation and economic growth – not slow it down further.

“So this week is all about getting the basics right – one of which is reining in the size and cost of government. Ontarians won’t settle for mediocrity within Canada and anemic economic growth at home, and neither will we.”

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“Jack understands what government must do to make Ontario a better place for families and job creation,” said Hudak. “While the McGuinty Liberals continue to deepen Ontario’s economic crisis, the Ontario PC Party is promoting solutions to create new jobs and rein in government spending.”

“I’m proud to represent the residents of Carleton-Mississippi Mills, and honoured to continue working on their behalf by being out front every day to promote positive ideas to tackle McGuinty’s spending and jobs crisis,” said MacLaren. “We’ve made a series of strong, principled proposals that would create jobs for the 600,000 unemployed Ontarians looking for hope and put our province on the path to recovery, which McGuinty continues to ignore as his budget puts Ontario on the road to a $30 billion deficit.”

“It’s the wrong path for Ontario,” stated MacLaren, noting several specific Ontario PC plans for private sector job growth which include:

• Balancing the budget to encourage businesses to expand and hire
• Lowering taxes for job-creating businesses
• Eliminating costly and failed wind and solar subsidies for more affordable energy
• A more flexible and responsive approach to regulation, and
• More skilled trades jobs by modernizing the apprenticeship system.

MacLaren was elected MPP for Carleton-Mississippi Mills in 2011 and serves as Deputy Critic for Transportation and Infrastructure in Ontario PC Leader Tim Hudak’s shadow cabinet.

“Jim has spent years building a stronger community as civic leader and community volunteer, and now as MPP. He understands what we need to build a better future,” said Hudak. “While the McGuinty Liberals continue to deepen Ontario’s economic crisis, the Ontario PC Party is promoting solutions to create new jobs and rein in government spending.”

“I’m honoured to continue representing our community by being out front every day to promote positive ideas to tackle McGuinty’s spending and jobs crisis,” said McDonell. “We’ve made a series of strong, principled proposals that would create jobs for the nearly 600,000 unemployed Ontarians and put our province on the path to recovery, which McGuinty continues to ignore as his budget puts Ontario on the road to a $30 billion deficit.”

“We need to get our fundamentals right,” stated McDonell, noting several specific Ontario PC plans for private sector job growth which include:

• Balancing the budget to encourage businesses to expand and hire
• Lowering taxes for job-creating businesses
• Eliminating costly and failed wind and solar subsidies for more affordable energy
• A more flexible and responsive approach to regulation, and
• More skilled trades jobs by modernizing the apprenticeship system.

McDonell was elected MPP for Stormont-Dundas-South Glengarry in 2011 and serves as Critic for Consumer Services in Ontario PC Leader Tim Hudak’s shadow cabinet.

Hudak made the comments as he continued his town hall-style For Jobs and Our Economy tour in Nepean, while calling for frank discussion with Ontarians on our jobs and spending crisis.

Hudak also highlighted his plan to table legislation for a mandatory public sector wage freeze.

“Here are the straight goods: Ontario is in a jam,” Hudak said. “The money has run out. It’s time to talk to people like adults about our situation, because we have some tough decisions to make.

The number one thing we can do to create jobs is to get our fiscal house in order, Hudak continued: “That will tell businesses that Ontario can afford the things they need to invest, expand and create jobs, like lower taxes and good infrastructure.

“But we can’t do that without reining in the huge cost of the public sector payroll. It’s the right place to start to enable economic growth and protect priorities like health care and education.”

With a skilled workforce, an abundance of thinkers, builders and doers, natural resources in demand around the world and a prime location in the heart of the North American marketplace, Hudak said Ontario still has plenty of advantages – except one.

“The missing ingredient is leadership on jobs and our economy,” Hudak said. “Half a million unemployed and a looming $30 billion deficit is all the evidence we need.”

Hudak recalled his recent visit to New York to meet with financial leaders: “These people think in clinical, objective terms,” Hudak noted. “And their advice to me was the same as for anyplace on Earth: Number one – balance your budget and pay down debt. Number Two – balance your budget and pay down debt! And Number Three – reduce taxes on job-creating businesses.”

In addition to a public sector wage freeze, Hudak’s Ontario PC jobs plan includes measures to:

• Control spending, rein in deficits and pay down debt.
• Reduce costs for businesses through lower taxes and affordable energy.
• Create 200,000 new skilled trades jobs by fixing the apprenticeship system.
• Change the attitude of government toward a pro-growth and pro-jobs approach to encourage business investment – instead of driving it away with restrictions and red tape.

“That’s my plan. And today in Nepean, and across Ontario, I want to hear what the people who actually pay the bills and create the jobs think about it.”

QUEEN’S PARK – Today’s new StatsCan numbers are further evidence of the need for a mandatory public sector wage freeze and a plan to get our economic fundamentals right, PC Economic Development and Innovation Critic Monte McNaughton said today.

“Ontario must tackle its deficit problem and its economic growth problem simultaneously,” McNaughton said. “We must reduce the size and cost of government – but we can’t just cut our way to prosperity. We need policies that will encourage job creation, not slow it down.”

McNaughton’s comments follow the release of data showing unemployment up to 7.8 per cent in April, and a net loss of 7,700 jobs – while the rest of Canada added over 60,000. And our jobless rate has now been ahead of the national average for 64 straight months, amid continuing PC demands that the government recognize the need for urgent action, and support their forthcoming public sector wage freeze legislation.

“Unemployment remains shockingly high, private sector wages remain stagnant and we’ve been hit with a credit downgrade that subsequently led to ‘knock-on’ downgrades for several provincial institutions,” McNaughton said. “And still this government refuses to put a lid on public sector salaries that consistently outpace inflation.

“We can’t hope to get job creation going again without getting the fundamentals right – like balancing our books, paying down debt and improving our investment climate. I call again on the Liberals to declare their support for our mandatory wage freeze legislation.”

McNaughton said the recent Moody’s credit downgrade should have been a wake-up call that the current path Ontario is on leads to a $30 billion deficit – as are ongoing developments in Greece, where political uncertainly has already shaken global markets and investor confidence.

“These events require us to act here in Ontario on things within our control – such as our bloated public sector payroll,” McNaughton said. “Yet the government is simply doubling down on its prior approach to ask the unions to agree to a voluntary freeze – which was a total failure.”

McNaughton noted that Ontario’s public sector has increased by 23 per cent – or 246,000 positions – since the Liberals were first elected in 2003, while the private sector has managed just five per cent growth in all that time.

“We are on the wrong path. So if this government doesn’t take action, we will. Our fiscal stability depends on it, and Ontarians overwhelmingly support it. It’s the right thing to do,” McNaughton concluded.

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