Horwath will appoint Special Commissioner to stop layoffs and protect jobs; NDP leader challenges opponents to debate jobs ‘Anywhere, anytime’
In front of the Talbotville Ford Assembly Plant in St. Thomas, Ontario, Andrea Horwath said New Democrats will create the post of Jobs Commissioner, with wide-ranging authority to bring together stakeholders when layoffs are announced to explore alternatives and options.
“When good jobs are at risk we don’t have to sit on the sidelines, we can roll up our sleeves and do something different,” said Horwath. “The jobs being lost by these women and men didn’t just feed families, they built our province and our economy. We can do more to protect these jobs.”
The New Democrat Leader said that when shutdowns or layoffs are planned, the Commissioner will lead serious negotiations and brainstorming over everything from how to protect jobs, to retraining opportunities, to finding potential new managers or owners. The new position joins the Job Creation Tax Credit and support for training and capital investment as key elements of the NDP’s comprehensive jobs plan.
Horwath made her announcement with workers from the Talbotville Plant on the eve of its shut-down. The Ford plant’s closure will leave 1,500 people out of work. It’s the latest in a long list of closures in St. Thomas – more than 10,000 jobs have been lost in the region in the past five years.
The NDP leader also repeated her challenge to her opponents to step up and join her in an honest face-to-face debate on the growing jobs crisis.
“We owe laid-off workers more than squabbling and schoolyard stunts,” said Horwath. “We can choose to do things differently by rewarding businesses that create jobs, not the ones that ship them overseas,” said Horwath. “It’s not just a question of what’s fair. It’s a question of what’s smart and what gets results.”
“The people of Ontario work hard to do their part. As their elected representatives, we need to do ours,” said Horwath.
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