Renfrew Nipissing Pembroke NDP
Media Release for April 20.
The McGuinty government is trying to coast its way through to next year's provincial � election while ignoring major problems that need immediate attention, according to Felicite Stairs, NDP provincial president for Renfrew County. �Unfortunately, she claimed, these problems are not simply going to disappear if, like the McGuinty government, we just ignore them.
"We are heading for massive increases in our utility bills unless the proper preventative action is taken," said Stairs. �"Demand is growing in the large urban areas, even as provincial power reserves are shrinking drastically. �This summer, once again Ontario will have to import power - at a premium price. �Moreover, the government's main action has been to pledge enormous amounts of money for dangerous and prohibitively expensive nuclear facilities. �So people can expect a serious shock from their hydro bills once the election is over, unless the government begins to act now to protect consumers and encourage better use of our electricity- generating resources."
It isn't just electric power that will shock consumers, Stairs said. She noted that the � recent lifting of the freeze on tuition fees is going is going to send the costs of higher education up substantially. �"Students who want to take post-secondary studies are looking at going more deeply into debt than ever. �This may put college out of reach for young people from lower-income families in Renfrew County."
Stairs further stated that McGuinty had already broken a promise to end the claw-back on child benefits. �"He's imposing a heavy tax on the families with the lowest incomes," Stairs said, "even while he continues to give tax breaks to the wealthy."
Stairs also mentioned impending increases in auto insurance from inadequate � government regulation, as well as the potential impact of McGuinty's plans for more private hospitals. �"Hospital profits will be paid for by the Ontario taxpayer," Stairs said. �"Rich private investors will soak up funds that should be re-invested in health care improvements, like reduced waiting times and more local health resources for smaller cities and rural areas."
Add it all up, Stairs said, and you can see that consumers are about to take a major � battering, without any improvement in the services they receive. �"Renfrew County needs to see more government investment, not less," said Stairs. �"Our farmers are crippled with debt, as are our students, and our roads are getting worse and worse. �But instead of the government helping us, we're looking at having to pay more and more for basic services like hydro and health and higher education. �That's no different from the philosophy of the Harris Conservatives - and we all remember how much damage they did to our province."