The Northern Ontario growth plan released today by the McGuinty Liberal government does nothing to bring the forestry jobs that have been lost as a result of disastrous hydro and trade policies, says Kenora-Rainy River NDP MPP Howard Hampton.

Kenora-Rainy River NDP MPP Howard Hampton says the McGuinty Liberals’ decision to shut down job action centres across Northern Ontario are the latest example of a government that is completely out of touch with what is happening in the region.

In the wake of a report showing a huge spike in the number of employment insurance claims filed across Northern Ontario, NDP Leader Andrea Horwath today demanded the McGuinty government deliver a jobs plan and oppose trade measures that might hurt the battered region.

Yesterday, during the third day of a legislative committee’s public hearings into the bill that will change Ontario’s Mining Act, Liberal and Conservative MPPs voted down an NDP motion to extend the September 7 deadline to file amendments. As a result, it will make it impossible to properly consult affected communities. MPPs won’t have the time to make necessary amendments to the bill.

NDP Leader Andrea Horwath used today’s Question Period to grill the McGuinty Liberals for the wrong economic choices they’ve made in the face of mounting lay-offs and job losses in northern Ontario’s resource industry.

The McGuinty government continues to sit on a pile of unspent forestry assistance money despite today’s Niska North photo op, says NDP Leader Andrea Horwath.

“If Dalton McGuinty is serious about helping the battered forestry sector, he will ensure that every last cent of the Forest Sector Properity Fund is spent to help struggling forestry workers and hard-hit forestry communities,” said Horwath.