“Ghina understands the priorities for a brighter future and the urgent need to create the private sector jobs that will lead Ontario back to prosperity,” said Hudak. “While the current government continues to deepen Ontario’s economic crisis, the Ontario PC Party is promoting solutions to create new jobs and rein in government spending.”

“Tim Hudak and the Ontario PC Party have made a series of strong, principled proposals that would create hope for the nearly 500,000 unemployed Ontarians and put our province on the path to recovery – while the Liberals and NDP would continue putting Ontario on the road to a $30 billion deficit with reckless overspending,” said Al-Sewaidi “It’s the wrong path for Ontario.”

Al-Sewaidi noted several specific Ontario PC plans for private sector job growth which include:

Al-Sewaidi is a mother and practicing matrimonial lawyer.

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“Documents from the Ministry of Finance demonstrate that the government was aware that the gas plant cancellations would cost upwards of a billion dollars,” said Fedeli. “The Ministry of Finance knew. Cabinet knew. The Treasury Board knew. Everyone knew that the costs were going to be significantly higher than the $230 million originally cited by the McGuinty-Wynne Liberals.”

Fedeli added that the McGuinty-Wynne Liberals attempted to cover-up that they were willing to spend $900 million to make this gas plant scandal go away. “The documents obtained are clearly redacted and further demonstrate that the McGuinty-Wynne Liberals will do anything to hide the truth from taxpayers.”

This latest redaction makes it clear: the McGuinty-Wynne Liberals don’t feel that Ontarians deserve honest and truthful answers, continued Fedeli. “The Ontario PCs disagree and feel that the Liberals and NDP need to bring forward the PC’s vote of non-confidence to the Legislature. Ontarians deserve to have the opportunity to express their confidence in the Liberals.”

Fedeli concluded, “The Liberals have the most to lose and will do anything to protect their political power. I hope that the McGuinty-Wynne Liberals will stop lying and come clean about when they knew that the costs could be as high as $900 million.”

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“The North’s rich forests, mineral treasure houses and emerging high-tech hubs can fuel a reviving North American economy,” Hudak said. “Yet down at Queen’s Park, the Liberals have joined with the NDP to dig a deeper hole through more lost jobs, overspending and debt.

“You deserve a focus on creating jobs. What you’ve got is another costly exercise in Liberals clinging to power at the expense of getting Northern job creation going again.”

“First came the $1 billion gas plants fiasco to save a few seats,” Hudak continued. “Now comes the $1 billion bill for bribing the NDP with even more spending to support the budget.”

Peroni said the Liberals are renting the majority they were denied by angry voters. “Ontario is now run by two parties that are the identical twins of more spending and lost jobs, and bigger government.”

Hudak said investors and credit rating agencies are waiting for a credible plan to bring down spending and pay down debt. “They’re looking for a government that tackles priorities and lives within its means.

“The sooner we change course, the sooner we’ll get Northern Ontario growing again, and out of the hands of politicians and special interests who want to turn this region into a museum.

“We need a new direction and a new team that puts creating jobs for Northerners ahead of saving jobs for politicians.”

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“This multi-media presentation is about an Ontario where people have good jobs to go to,” Hudak said. “A place where hard work is rewarded with more take-home pay, and people have the confidence to buy a home and raise a family.”

But today, Hudak continued, far too many Ontarians are having trouble finding work. And now – compounding the problem – they’re governed by two parties that are the identical twins of more spending and debt, and bigger government.

“Three hundred thousand people have lost manufacturing jobs, at the same time as we’ve added 300,000 jobs to the government payroll. And we’re paying for this huge growth in government with borrowing and debt – a debt that’s doubled in 10 years and is on track to tripling.

“We can choose a better Ontario. And we are the only party with a plan to get us there.”

Hudak laid out the solution to our growing problems as a two-pronged approach to reduce spending and grow our economy:

“If we make these decisions now, we can bring good jobs back to Ontario,” Hudak said. “So let’s stop waiting for ‘better’ – and make ‘better’ happen.”

To view the presentation click here.

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“We’ve wasted weeks watching two parties cut-and-paste a budget that increases spending, piles on more debt and costs us jobs – all to protect their own jobs at everyone else’s expense,” Hudak said.

“And despite the self-congratulations from the Liberals and NDP today, the fact remains Ontario has a big problem: 600,000 of our relatives and friends woke up this morning with no job to go to.”

The province’s debt has doubled, and is on course to tripling, Hudak noted. “Ontario can do better. The sooner we change course, the sooner we can get back on track to more jobs, and a government that lives within its means.”

Like the gas plants scandal, this budget is an example of the Liberals clinging to power at any cost, Hudak said. “That cost taxpayers $1 billion, just to save a few Liberal seats.

“Now, they’re spending $1 billion for the support of the NDP – to rent the majority government that angry voters denied them.”

We can restore jobs, hope and prosperity to Ontario, Hudak continued, but if we want to change direction, we need to change the team that leads our province.

“I remain determined to build a government we can afford, that protects the things we value most. We will fight for less spending, a public sector wage freeze, lower taxes, affordable energy, modernized labour laws and less regulation.

“Only we will reduce the size and cost of government, while growing our economy to create jobs.”

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“Saying you’re sorry is different from telling the truth,” Leone said. “Premier Wynne is still failing the people of Ontario by refusing to come clean on what she knew about the gas plant scandal.

“The cover up continues. We need a judicial inquiry to get to the bottom of this matter. How this happened, who’s accountable and if taxpayers can get their money back – while ensuring no government is able to do this again.”

Leone referred to the Committee’s interim draft report, which shows the testimony by the Premier and numerous Liberal political aides fails to line up with the testimony of energy experts and professional civil servants – leaving a number of key questions unanswered.

“Already, several political aides have admitted to deleting documents, correspondence and emails,” Leone continued. “In all likelihood, these actions were in breach of the law – and if any witness is found in contempt of parliament, they could face extremely serious consequences.”

In addition to Premier Wynne, the PC Caucus intends to recall former Premier Dalton McGuinty and former Energy Ministers Brad Duguid and Chris Bentley to testify in front of the Committee, as well as other Liberal political aides.

“The Liberals are evading questions and spinning tales – further evidence of a government in chaos,” Leone concluded. “It’s time for them to get their facts straight, and actually be accountable to Ontarians for a change.”

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May 20th, 2013

Charles Sousa, MPP
Minister of Finance
7th Floor, Frost Building South
7 Queen’s Park Crescent
Toronto, Ontario M7A 1Y7

Dear Minister Sousa,

The people of Ontario, investors and credit rating agencies are looking for a government with the courage and leadership to balance the budget and grow the economy. Unfortunately, they see the McGuinty-Wynne Liberals cutting $1 billion deals with the NDP to protect their political power. They also see a government that is in absolute chaos with Thursday’s firing of Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation chair Paul Godfrey serving as just the latest example.

The decision to dismiss Mr. Godfrey – who was simply carrying out the marching orders that Premier Wynne and you signed off on as senior Cabinet members – demonstrates that the government has no plan and doesn’t know which way to go.

Your Liberal government has thrown Ontario’s horse racing industry into uncertainty, first by leaving it out of the province’s gaming strategy, then tacking it on. Your so-called balanced budget plan banks on a Toronto mega-casino and massive expansion of gaming in the province, and then it doesn’t. Your government appears to be in a state of complete disarray.

You and I both know that this government doesn’t have a revenue problem. You have a spending problem and are looking for quick billion dollar fixes. For the past year, your government has been touting that the modernization of the OLG would generate over $1 billion in revenue for the province. However, when this number proved beyond your reach, you decided to toss the OLG Chair overboard and find someone who would generate you that money.

With 20 brand new spending initiatives in your budget, slow economic growth and a billion dollar hole in your fiscal plan, it begs the question – how are you going to pay for it all?

The Liberals’ plan to balance the budget on the backs of gamblers is misguided and will not work. To balance the books we need to address the government’s largest expenditure – the size and cost of government. With almost 60 per cent of the budget going to government workers’ salaries and benefits, adding more casinos and bureaucrats will not get our province out of the red.

It is time to re-think the services that government provides. You are spending too much time and money running businesses you have no need to be in. Ontarians want their government investing in health care and education – not buying roulette wheels or slot machines.

Tim Hudak and the Ontario PC Caucus oppose your government’s plan to pit community against community and build 29 new casinos. We believe that government has a role in regulating the industry, but does not need to be in its day-to-day operations. Ontario’s government must focus on investing in the vital services that Ontarians need most – not wasting time over scratch-and-win tickets and casino marketing plans.

Ontario is in trouble. Our jobs and debt crisis has worsened over the past decade. We still have over half a million of our friends, neighbours and family members looking for work and we have a government that doesn’t know how to stop overspending.

To further compound the problem, the third-largest expense in your budget is interest payments on Ontario’s enormous public debt. This is billions of dollars every year that is going to lenders abroad who use it to strengthen their core services and their economies at the expense of jobs and prosperity right here at home.

Job creators and credit rating agencies are watching. They are looking for stability in this government. This state of disarray is not going to give them the confidence that they need to invest in our province.

Ontario can do better – but it is going to take a new team with a new plan and the courage to put that plan into action.

Yours truly,

Peter Shurman, MPP
Ontario PC Finance Critic

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“We’ve spent the past two weeks talking about everything except what matters,” Hudak said. “Ontarians demand a focus on creating jobs and ending overspending. What they’re getting is
a soap opera – another billion-dollar exercise in Liberals clinging to power at the expense of putting Ontario back on track.”

First came the gas plants fiasco to save a few seats, Hudak continued. “Now comes the ransom bill of $1 billion in even more spending for the NDP to support the budget.

“It’s like renting the majority government they were denied by angry voters.”

Hudak said investors, job creators and credit rating agencies are still waiting for a credible plan to bring down spending and pay down our massive debt. “Like all Ontarians, they’re looking for a government that tackles their priorities and lives within its means.

“They’ll be shaking their heads in disbelief. It would all be funny – if it weren’t so serious.”

Hudak said the sooner we change course, the sooner we’ll get Ontario growing again to afford the things we care about the most, like dependable health care, excellence in education and investments to end gridlock.

“But nothing the Liberals and NDP are stapling together achieves that. Ontario deserves stable leadership – not erratic gamesmanship.”

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(QUEEN’S PARK, ONTARIO) “This evening we have confirmation that the McGuinty-Wynne casino modernization plan can be added to the long list of Liberal government disasters joining Ornge, E-Health and the political cancellations of the Oakville and Mississauga power plants.

With the ousting of Paul Godfrey as Chairman of the OLG and the further resignation of members of the OLG Board, the entire modernization process must now be graded as a massive failure that unnecessarily bullied and divided communities throughout Ontario.

Frankly, this all could have been avoided had the government focused on the important issues facing our province like health care and education. What we have witnessed here is a shocking example of Liberal government mismanagement. You have the Chair of OLG being directed to do one thing, then another; being urged to offer a special deal to the City of Toronto, then when the government has been caught, being directed to withdraw the offer and recalculate the formula.

The Ontario PC Party has always opposed the Liberal’s plan to build 29 new casinos in communities throughout Ontario. Instead, Tim Hudak and the Ontario PC Party have a different plan for gaming. We believe that government must regulate the industry, but it certainly doesn’t need to run its day-to-day operations. Neither do we need unionized employees serving drinks in casinos or spinning roulette wheels. What we do need is to disengage government from the daily business of gambling. It is time for the government to become the responsible, respected and tough regulator and not the operator trying to bully communities into accepting new casinos.”

To read the Paths to Prosperity papers, please visit: www.OntarioPC.com/paths.

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The Resolution will immediately establish a Select Committee to develop a comprehensive developmental services strategy for individuals with an intellectual disability or who are dually diagnosed with an intellectual disability and a mental illness.

Amid two recent cases in Ontario that saw parents drop off their adult children at a government office out of desperation, the need for a comprehensive strategy has never been higher.

“The fact is there’s currently no long-term strategy to deliver services to thousands of Ontarians who need care, particularly as their parents age and won’t be able to provide it themselves. I believe this committee is the first step toward solving this situation,” Elliott said.

The Committee will focus on the needs of children, youth and adults with an intellectual disability, and coordinate the delivery of developmental programs and services across provincial ministries, taking into consideration educational needs, workplace opportunities, housing needs and social, recreational and inclusionary opportunities.

“I’m pleased that my Resolution received all-Party support, but now the real work begins. We owe it to families across the province to develop a comprehensive plan that leaves no family behind.”

Quick Facts:

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