THUNDER BAY – “While Dalton McGuinty can continue to try and fool Ontario families into believing that the 150% increase in their hydro bills under him is creating jobs, Ontario families will not be fooled. In the last two days we’ve seen Dalton McGuinty’s argument come unraveled,” stated Rocco Rossi, Ontario PC candidate for Eglinton-Lawrence.
The PCs say, “Months after an Ottawa Citizen expose showed that Dalton McGuinty was greatly exaggerating the number of jobs at green energy companies across Ontario, the McGuinty Liberals have seen their green jobs agenda come unraveled. Following the revelations this week that workers were brought back to a solar panel plant just for Dalton McGuinty’s photo-op, another of Dalton McGuinty’s success stories is facing difficulties”.
Rossi stated, “Sadly, a local official at DMI Industries reports that the company is laying off workers at its Fort Erie plant. Just like Eclipsall – the location of the phony McGuinty photo-op this week – the Dalton McGuinty Liberals have long held wind turbine tower producer DMI Industries in Fort Erie up as one of their green energy success stories. Dalton McGuinty has attempted to fool Ontario families into believing that these so-called jobs are justification for the skyrocketing hydro bills that are laying unopened on kitchen tables across Ontario. But as Dalton McGuinty’s green jobs plan unravels, Ontario families will not be fooled”.
At issue is the promise by the Premier that 50,000 jobs will be created by the Green Energy Act.
Opposition parties are claiming that McGuinty is exagerating those numbers. Critics of the plan by the Ontario Liberals claim that the higher costs of electricity that the subsidies for solar or wind energy will damage the economy.
Countries like Spain where similar programs to the Liberal plan have been tried have seen more jobs lost than created, along with a massive cost for each ‘Green job’.
“Building Ontario wind turbines with Northern Ontario steel is a great example of how our new clean-energy economy is working — reaching all corners of Ontario to deliver good jobs for families and making us more competitive,” counters Premier Dalton McGuinty.
McGuinty made his remarks following a tour of Essar Steel Algoma — the largest employer in Sault Ste. Marie. The company manufactures 100 per cent made-in-Ontario steel that is being used to build wind towers for turbines.
“We’re the number-one producer of cars in North America because, not only do we build the best cars, we build the best parts. Now we’re doing the same thing in clean-energy,” McGuinty said. “Our clean-energy economy is attracting new investments, and our workers are building the best materials to support it.”
“Our leading-edge renewable energy strategy is transforming Sault Ste. Marie into the green energy capital of North America and building a stronger, more diversified economy by supporting jobs at Essar Steel Algoma and creating high quality, well-paying jobs at new companies, such as Heliene Canada solar panel manufacturing plant,” said Liberal candidate David Orazietti. “In addition to positioning the Sault at the forefront of the rapidly growing clean energy economy, the Ontario Liberal plan builds on the environmental protections that are improving public health as we continue to close coal-fired power generators.”
The PCs say the green energy jobs presented by the Liberals are “phony”.
Rossi stated, “Unlike Dalton McGuinty’s phony jobs plan, Tim Hudak and the Ontario PC Party have a plan to create jobs and restore Ontario as the economic engine of Ontario. An Ontario PC government will lower the business tax rate, reduce our regulatory burden, give middle class families the confidence to spend again by providing relief, and modernize our skilled labour system. Only Tim Hudak has a real jobs plan to make Ontario the leader in job creation – once again”.