NDP Leader Howard Hampton today hammered the McGuinty government’s creation of a Ministry of International Trade as a measure that will do precious little do to sustain manufacturing jobs across Ontario.

“This is nothing more than just another diversion from Dalton McGuinty’s sorry record of sustaining manufacturing jobs,” said Hampton.

Hampton pointed out that the not-so-new Minister of International Trade, Sandra Pupatello, has already spent most of the past year on the road with not much to show for it.

“Since January, the not-so-new Minister has visited India, China, Mexico, Belgium, France, the UK, and Italy, to name just a few foreign countries. Here’s the tally and it’s almost as good as a credit card commercial: ribbon cuttings – at least three; jobs created in Ontario – not many; the value to the 230,000 Ontarians who have lost their jobs – worthless,” said Hampton.

Rather than creating more bureaucracy, Hampton challenged McGuinty to take real action by embracing the job sustaining measures that have been advanced by New Democrats: an industrial hydro rate; a “Buy Ontario” program; and a refundable manufacturing investment tax credit with added incentives for green investment.

“The Premier seems more intent on financing the not-so-new Minister’s Air Miles account than he is in sustaining Ontario’s manufacturing jobs. If he were serious, he would implement the NDP’s plan, which has worked very successfully in other provinces,” said Hampton.