- NDP Leader Howard Hampton says the crisis in Ontario’s manufacturing sector is worsening with the release of Statistics Canada's latest Labour Force Survey showing the province lost another 15,000 manufacturing jobs in April.

“Reeling workers and their families are looking to their elected representatives for leadership and assistance. Instead, as hard-working Ontarians see their jobs eliminated, their cost of living increase and their pensions disappear, Dalton McGuinty continues to reject NDP proposals that would protect jobs and assist laid-off workers,” said Hampton.

The latest job losses bring the total of manufacturing jobs lost in Ontario to more than 220,000 since July 2004.

“Under the McGuinty Liberals, Ontario has lost 20 per cent of its high-paying manufacturing jobs. That has taken $6.8-billion in wages out of Ontario’s economy,” said Hampton.

Hampton called on the McGuinty Liberals to support the NDP’s jobs stimulus plan, which calls for the creation of an Ontario manufacturing investment tax credit, the restart of a “Buy Ontario” program and an industrial hydro rate. Hampton also called on the government to protect laid-off workers by passing NDP bills that would guarantee workers get the severance owed to them as well as expand severance eligibility in mass layoff situations.

“Dalton McGuinty’s continued failure to take action on Ontario’s manufacturing crisis is destroying the economic backbone of entire communities across this province. It’s time he showed real leadership and stopped rejecting out-of-hand constructive NDP proposals,” said Hampton.