MCGUINTY MUST STOP IGNORING COLLINGWOOD
McGuinty must show action and compassion for community hit hard by botched economic plan

January 27, 2006 (Collingwood, ON) – The McGuinty Liberals have no plan for the economy and refuse to help Collingwood families who have been hit hard by manufacturing job losses, Progressive Conservative Party Leader John Tory said today.

“Dalton McGuinty has shown no action or compassion for families affected by job losses in Ontario,” said Tory. “Our caucus asked Mr. McGuinty on numerous occasions before the new year to come up to Collingwood and meet with local officials to talk about the hundreds of jobs that have been lost in Simcoe-Grey and he has not even had the decency to respond to our requests. He has shown a complete abdication of leadership on this file.”

Tory made the comments today at a roundtable meeting in Collingwood with Simcoe-Grey MPP Jim Wilson and community leaders. Tory committed to participate in the discussion after Dalton McGuinty repeatedly ignored requests from Mayor Terry Geddes and Progressive Conservative MPPs to meet with members of the community. There have been over 52,000 manufacturing jobs lost in Ontario over the last year. Collingwood alone has had to endure the closure of several large employers including Nacan Starch Products, Kaufman's Furniture, Blue Mountain Pottery and Keller Electric.

In December 2005, the PC Party put forth a motion calling on the McGuinty Liberals to recognize that there was “an immediate need for a comprehensive action plan to deal with local economic crises affecting such communities as Collingwood”, devastated by job losses. (Hansard, December 8th, 2005). To which the Premier’s parliamentary assistant, MPP Tony Wong responded that these communities should stop “coming as crying babies to the province.”

“The McGuinty Liberals have shown no compassion for families hard hit by job losses around the province and are doing nothing to help them,” said Wilson. “Increased taxes, rising energy prices and an increasing regulatory burden have made Ontario a less attractive place to invest, live and raise a family. Communities like Collingwood are suffering as a result, with not indication of interest or relief from the McGuinty Liberals.”

“Families in Simcoe-Grey and across the province are looking for leadership and some indication of a plan from the McGuinty Liberal government, something to help them get back on their feet,” said Tory. “Unfortunately, Mr. McGuinty continues to prove that he has no plan for Ontario’s economy and does not understand that communities around the province need urgent help to ensure continued prosperity.”