QUEEN’S PARK – The McGuinty Liberal government has cancelled hearings on Bill 191, the legislation that earned them the moniker “Canada’s Worst Government”. The PC Party condemned this undemocratic move by an out-of-touch government.
“This legislation was created for Dalton McGuinty’s friends in the environmental lobby,” charges Randy Hillier, PC Party Critic for Northern Development. “We learned that last year, when the World Wildlife Fund admitted that they were the only group consulted on its creation.”
“The McGuinty Liberals passed a motion ramming Bill 191 through the legislature with minimal debate, and allowing for only four days of consultation. Aboriginal groups across northern Ontario have decried the committee process as contrived, and boycotted the hearings,” continued Hillier. “This latest move by the committee ensures that there will be no consultation by the committee”.
“I made sure that the government was aware that Aboriginal groups would not be able to meet on the days they’ve scheduled, and the government chose to ignore this,” added Hillier. “The McGuinty liberals wanted to sweep this under the carpet and in the end have completely silenced Northerners. It’s unacceptable.”
“The McGuinty Liberals have ensured that Northerners will not have a say in the legislation, which calls for approximately 250,000 KM2 of land north of the 51st parallel to be cut off from any development. This area is approximately the size of the entire United Kingdom,” stated Hillier.
“This is not the Dalton McGuinty which people elected,” said Hillier. “He’s become so cozy with his downtown Toronto special interest groups that he no longer cares or respects the concerns of people in other parts of the province. His contempt for true & honest consultation is as vast as his empty & broken promises.”