“Hudak has a point; if you’re going to do it (freeze public sector wages), do it right and do it all at once. Treat everyone the same way, and let the chips fall where they may.”
- editorial, The Windsor Star, August 25, 2012

THORNHILL – Dalton McGuinty should use the recall of the Legislature to act on his dawning realization that he has dug a deep fiscal hole, and continue moving toward Tim Hudak’s Freeze, Fix, Reduce plan for permanently reining in the size and cost of government, Ontario PC Finance Critic Peter Shurman said today.

“Let’s face it: The only reason the Legislature is being recalled Monday is because the Liberals have run out of money to throw at their union friends in the middle of two by-elections,” Shurman said, referring to pending teachers’ contract legislation – set against Ontario’s looming $411 billion debt.

“Otherwise we wouldn’t be here. Premier McGuinty has panicked, and started a phony war to divert attention from things he wants you to forget – like $190 million charged to taxpayers to save Liberal seats for the Mississauga gas plant, billions wasted on Ornge and e-Health, and ‘performance’ bonuses showered on virtually every public sector manager who ‘managed’ to show up for work.”

These are the same people who brought you Ornge, e-Health, a budget for ‘tough times’ that jacked up spending across 14 of 24 major Ministries and more broken promises not to increase taxes than The Boy Who Cried Wolf, Shurman added. “So we’re throwing the Premier a lifeline: follow Tim Hudak’s Freeze, Fix, Reduce plan to get a grip on his runaway government – and start tomorrow.”

As a first step, the plan would freeze public sector wages across the board, Shurman explained. Second, it would begin structural change to drive down underlying cost pressures. Third, it would permanently reduce government spending and divert scarce tax dollars to real priorities – like classroom education.

“Otherwise the return of the Legislature will be marked by yet more Liberal inaction – from their refusal to recall the House a week ago to reassure parents that the school year would resume on schedule, to their stonewalling on Ontario PC Caucus questions about the cost of the so-called “agreement” with a handful of teachers’ unions.

“This is why our Leader, Tim Hudak, called last week for a Freeze, Fix, Reduce plan for bold, integrated action to get our fiscal house in order,” Shurman said. “We need to freeze wages for the entire public sector, fix the underlying problems that fuel the Liberals’ reckless overspending and reduce the size and cost of government on a permanent basis.”