“The challenges facing families haven’t gone away since the election. It’s time to get to work,” said Horwath. “Now that the house is about to begin sitting, I plan to hold the government to their commitment to work with all parties to get real results for everyday people.”

Horwath laid out New Democrat priorities for the upcoming session, and some of the proposals New Democrats have already put forward:

• An effective strategy to create jobs by replacing the no-strings-attached corporate tax giveaways with refundable tax credits that reward companies that create jobs or invest in training and new equipment.
• Making life more affordable by taking the unfair HST off home heating bills and tackling the growing cost of auto insurance.
• Improving our health care by capping hospital CEO salaries and investing savings in frontline care and conducting the long overdue review of LHINs.

Horwath also reiterated her commitment to balance the province’s budget over the long-term but with a balanced plan that doesn’t leave households paying more for less while billions are spent on corporate tax reductions. Horwath noted that McGuinty’s corporate income tax cuts will cost the treasury $2 billion annually and a plan to start letting Ontario’s largest corporations write-off sales tax on expenses like entertaining will cost the treasury over $1 billion a year by 2018.

“The plan to balance the books has to be balanced,” said Horwath. “Closing kindergartens and hiking hydro fees while we hand tax giveaways to Ontario’s biggest corporations makes no sense.”

Horwath noted that Legislative Standing Committees have not been struck in the four months since the election, and as a result committee work like the Finance Committee’s Pre-Budget Hearings haven’t started. Meanwhile, important questions about government decisions on issues ranging from the debacle at ORNGE to the cost of cancelling power plants in Mississauga and Oakville remain unanswered.

“The challenges facing Ontario families haven’t gone away,” said Horwath. “It’s time to roll up our sleeves and get some real results for the people who sent us here.”

“If we’re going to get Ontario’s books into balance we have to take a balanced approach. Recklessly scrapping programs people rely on while handing out corporate tax cuts doesn’t make sense,” said Horwath. “Instead of hitting families with higher electricity bills or scrapping kindergarten for our kids, we need to ask whether we can afford spending on things like corporate tax giveaways.”

The Commission on the Reform of Ontario’s Public Service was struck by the McGuinty Government to look at ways to eliminate the province’s deficit, but was instructed not to consider any revenue issues, like the $2 billion a year impact of the Liberal corporate income tax cuts. Proposals unveiled today include abandoning full-day kindergarten, raising hydro bills by 10 per cent and putting less focus on creating jobs.

Horwath noted that the Commission’s pessimistic economic projections are out-of-step with most other economic forecasts.   Between 2015 and 2018, Drummond assumes economic growth at 2.0 per cent, compared to a private sector average of 2.4 per cent. Drummond’s overall pessimistic economic forecast lowers revenue projections by $10 billion by 2017-18.

“Mr. Drummond seems to think Ontario’s economic decline is inevitable, and I just don’t agree,” said Horwath. “People worried about their jobs need a government that has a balanced plan for balanced budgets, one that focuses on creating jobs and sharing the burden of economic recovery.”

“I walked the line with these workers and I can only imagine the impact this will have on their families and the community,” said Natyshak. “It’s pretty clear that McGuinty’s no-strings-attached corporate tax giveaways aren’t helping everyday families. We need a better approach, such as targeted incentives for job creators and a Buy Ontario strategy.”

After threatening workers with a 50% wage cut, Caterpillar is moving it’s Electromotive plant to Indiana, leaving 465 Ontarians people without a job.

Natyshak noted that McGuinty’s corporate tax cuts were supposed to make Ontario more competitive, help create 600,000 jobs, and boost wages.

But last week Statistics Canada reported that Ontario lost 7,500 jobs in January and that wages in this province rose by a measly 1% — far below the cost of living and half the national average.

This is devastating news for those workers and an entire community that’s seen good jobs vanish, plants close and unemployment levels that are simply too high.

More than ever it’s clear we need new ideas and a new approach if we’re going to create and maintain good jobs in Ontario. Ontario’s across-the-board corporate tax giveaways reward companies like Caterpillar making record profits even while they ship jobs and investment out of Ontario. We need to reward the real job creators with tax incentives for companies that create jobs, train their workers and make investments. We need Buy Ontario polices to ensure that public money stays in Ontario and goes to protect and create good jobs.

Today, it’s time to think of the 465 workers who have lost their jobs in London and to make sure that all due severances are paid and that families are looked after during this difficult time.

“Ontario households are falling behind. They’re worried about jobs and paychecks that don’t keep up with the cost of living,” said DiNovo. “Instead of mimicking Stephen Harper’s strategy no-strings-attached tax giveaways Ontario should be looking at new ideas that help small business and companies that hire, train and invest in Ontario.”

Today’s StatsCan report on Ontario’s jobs numbers contained some troubling facts for Ontario households:

• Ontario is losing ground on jobs: Canada created 2,300 net jobs last month; it would have created about 10,000 jobs without Ontario’s figures
• Ontario is losing ground on manufacturing: Canada without Ontario gained nearly 15,000 jobs last month in manufacturing, while Ontario manufacturing employment declined by close to 5,000 jobs.
• Ontario is losing ground on wages: Hourly wages in Ontario grew by 1% — well below rate of inflation — half the rate of Canada’s 2%.

“The same old solutions aren’t working for families,” said DiNovo. “It’s time for a plan that rewards employers that create good jobs in Ontario instead of handing money to companies that ship jobs away.”

The Black communities in Ontario are diverse and varied. While February gives special emphasis to the history of Black communities, I want to challenge Ontarians to celebrate the history of Ontario’s diverse communities every month.

February is a time for pride in the leadership and contributions of Black Ontarians, and for Ontarians to challenge ourselves to achieve greater equality and respect for our province’s diverse heritage.

“For eight long years, McGuinty Liberals have promised change in our health system and delivered more of the same,” said Forster. “We need change that works for families who need reliable affordable care, not health boondoggles that leave patients waiting longer and paying more to do it.”

Forster noted that the Liberal track record on healthcare is nothing to brag about: “The Liberals promised to modernize air ambulance, but families were left paying for multi-million dollar salaries for ORNGE executives. They promised to save money with electronic health records but families ended up paying $3,000-a-day on insider consultants. They promised better care for seniors but 10,000 people are waiting for homecare.”

Forster, a registered nurse, attended the Minister of Health’s speech this afternoon. She expressed concern over plans to expand the powers of LHINs. She noted that when the Liberals introduced LHINs in 2006, they enshrined a review into the legislation, but the government made sure that never happened.

“Families who have seen their emergency rooms close or services cut know that LHINs aren’t accountable to people, said Forster. “Giving LHINs even more power before proceeding with a promised review is irresponsible at best.”

“On behalf of my Ontario NDP caucus colleagues and all New Democrats, I want to send my heartfelt condolences to the family, friends and all those who knew the as-yet-unnamed miner who was lost yesterday in a tragic accident.

No one should have to wonder whether or not their loved ones will come home from work. Despite improvements in workplace safety, training, and education, the death of this veteran miner is a tragic reminder of the dangerous nature of mining, and other resource-based jobs.

I intend to closely follow the Ministry of Labour’s investigation. Workplace deaths are incredibly serious, and this is the third mining death in the Sudbury area in less than a year. The family of the victim, and the miners left behind, deserve real answers about what happened.

While the investigation into the accident will do little to assuage the sorrow of his family, hopefully lessons will be learned from this tragedy and subsequent investigation that can help to prevent similar losses in the future.”

“The Minister of Health failed London families by ensuring health care dollars go to frontline workers, not line the pockets of hospital executives,” said Armstrong. “It’s either a case of wilful ignorance or botched oversight. The Health Minister can pretend to be outraged, but this is happening in her own backyard. Where’s the oversight?” asked Armstrong.

Reports today indicate Cliff Nordal, former CEO of London Health Sciences Centre and St. Joseph’s Health Care, raked in $1.17 million bonus on top of his $800,000-plus salary.

Armstrong noted that sadly, big severance packages for hospital executives aren’t new to Ontario. One London health care executive received a $451,000 severance package after being dismissed for handing out untendered contracts, while $300,000 was given to a dismissed Windsor health care executive.

Ontario NDP Leader Andrea Horwath renewed her party’s call for a cap on public sector CEO salaries at twice the premier’s salary.

“When patients are coping with closed ERs and growing wait times, there’s no way to justify spending scarce health dollars on private clubs and million dollar bonuses,” said Horwath. “It’s time to start protecting our health care dollars with a hard cap on hospital CEO salaries.”

The Chinese community in Ontario makes an ongoing contribution to the cultural richness and prosperity of our province.

Together we say goodbye to the Year of the Rabbit and welcome the Year of the Dragon. May the Dragon bring new opportunities and positive change to every Ontarian.