TORONTO – The relationship between the Working Families Coalition and the provincial government is putting at risk the things people care about – like health care and education – and stands in the way of progress on job creation and stopping overspending, PC Leader Tim Hudak said today.

“It is clear that the government’s interests no longer align with Ontarians’ interests, but rather with those of the Working Families Coalition,” Hudak said. “We can’t hope to ignite job creation with a looming $30 billion deficit, but that means making government more focused and affordable. And the Coalition is standing in the way.

“This axis of influence – between union boss-backed special interest groups and political parties – is bankrupting Ontario and putting the things we most value at risk. And the NDP are happy to go along for the ride.”

Examples of how Liberal interests align with the Coalition – not taxpayers – include:

• Appointing or re-appointing the group’s spokesperson to several agency boards with handsome per diems
• Increasing the average Ontario teacher’s salary by approximately 25 per cent since 2003
• Limiting access to job opportunities in the skilled trades with an artificial ratio between tradespeople and apprentices
• Direct benefits for the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers from the Liberal Green Energy Act through the work they get from thousands of Feed-in Tariff contracts, which have driven up Hydro costs for Ontario ratepayers, and
• Repealing Bill 115 on teachers’ salaries – the only wage freeze the Liberals have ever tabled

“I’m worried about the direction this relationship is taking Ontario,” Hudak concluded. “We need to get our fiscal house in order to create jobs and hope again – but the Working Families Coalition is standing in the way.”