THUNDER BAY – The Liberals have unveiled their platform. “The Liberal Plan is a positive vision for Ontario that will create jobs by building the province up, not by tearing it down. We will make crucial investments in infrastructure, partner with businesses to create high-skill, high-paying jobs and help the people of Ontario retire with the dignity and security they deserve,” stated Premier Kathleen Wynne.
Premier Kathleen Wynne released the Liberal Platform for Ontario today. The Liberal Plan is built on the priorities laid out in the 2014 Budget and will create jobs and grow the economy by investing in people and partnerships, will build modern infrastructure and will provide income security in retirement.
The Liberal Leader is in Thunder Bay preparing for Monday’s Northern Leaders’ Debate. The event will be live-streamed starting at 12:15PM on NetNewsLedger. Click Here for Debate Link.
Liberals Dishonest – Hudak
From Toronto, Tim Hudak is saying the Liberals are “Dishonest”.
“The McGuinty-Wynne Liberals are being fundamentally dishonest,” said Hudak. “They hide the truth, they scaremonger, and they confuse. They need you to stop caring. Because all they care about is their own political interests.”
“We have to be honest with ourselves about the mess we are in and the action that is required,” said Hudak
“Dalton McGuinty and Kathleen Wynne have more than doubled Ontario’s debt to $289 billion with $11 billion a year alone spent on interest payments. If a family making $50,000 managed their budget the same way, it would be $122,600 in debt, and pay $4,600 in interest payments every year”.
Premier Wynne says, “The Liberal Plan for Ontario is fully-costed and consistent with the fiscal framework in the 2014 Budget. Ontario Liberals will balance the budget by 2017-18, while continuing to make the necessary investments in our people and in our infrastructure to provide opportunity and security to all Ontarians”.
If re-elected, an Ontario Liberal government will re-introduce the Budget, providing investments in:
· A ten-year, $2.5 billion Jobs and Prosperity Fund that will help Ontario grow key sectors by attracting and partnering with business and create jobs.
· A ten-year, $130 billion commitment to infrastructure projects that will support 110,000 jobs each year. This includes $29 billion in dedicated funding for transit that will help Ontario build much-needed transportation projects across the province as well as $11.4 billion for major hospital expansion or redevelopment and $11 billion in new schools and repairs.
· A made-in-Ontario solution to the looming pension crisis. The Ontario Retirement Pension Plan will begin in 2017 and help Ontarians retire with greater income security.
In a media statement, the Liberals say, “Premier Kathleen Wynne’s Liberals are choosing a different path than the Hudak PCs and NDP. Liberals will choose to invest – in people, in modern infrastructure, in a dynamic and innovative business climate, and in small businesses – so that we can take advantage of our strengths, and create and build the jobs of the future, right here in Ontario. We will partner with businesses, educators, labour, the not-for-profit sector, and communities – so that each person has the best opportunity to succeed in life”.
In addition to creating the jobs of the future, the Liberal Plan also includes:
· Investing $1 billion in Ring of Fire infrastructure to support smart, sustainable and collaborative development in the Ring of Fire area.
· Introducing a primary care guarantee that, within four years, will provide all Ontarians with access to a primary care provider.
· Improving quality of care and reducing job turnover by increasing Personal Support Worker wages by $4.00 an hour over the next three years.
· Ensuring quality child care outside of the public school system by providing a wage increase of $2.00 an hour over the next two years for Early Childhood Educators.
· Providing better services for people with developmental disabilities and increasing support for caregivers and their families, with investments of $810 million over three years. Part of our investment will include $200 million to support wages for front-line workers.
