QUEEN’S PARK – LEADERS LEDGER – Today in Queen’s Park we did not defeat the government. We listened to the tens of thousands of voices and worked to improve the budget. Through hard work and determination we won some serious and important concessions including $20 million for northern and rural healthcare and a tax on our province’s highest earners to make things a little more fair. Today’s events do nothing to compromise our resolve to fighting for fairness for families from the HST, preserving and strengthening tourism in our region, and fighting for key investments in infrastructure that will lead to jobs and prosperity in our region through the Ring of Fire.
We remain committed to these principles and the fight is not over, it has really only begun.
Today we sent a message that this government is on probation. We do not like the budget, but we gained significant concessions to make it a little more fair. We did not vote in favour of the budget, but we did not defeat the government today because the people of this riding and across the province told us very clearly to work to strengthen the budget but not to force an election.
Rather than sitting on the sidelines and accomplishing nothing, we listened to that message. Today’s vote simply ensures the government will not fall, it does not mean that the budget has passed and there are still concessions that can be won and work that can be done to further improve the document.
Today in Ontario there has been a significant shift, we have now been recognized as the true effective opposition and we will use that power that has been handed to us to work for the residents of Northwestern Ontario and across the province as a whole.
Today the fight does not end. Today the fight begins and we have a strong, proud team ready to lead us into battle for the people in our communities.
Sarah Campbell MPP
Kenora Rainy River