Throne Speech Response
I’m honoured to stand in the House today on behalf of the PC caucus and our party leader, John Tory, to respond to last week’s speech from the Throne.
At the outset Mr. Speaker, I think it’s safe to say that responses to the speech, from non partisans, indicate widespread disappointment. I’ll put a handful of quotes on the record to emphasize the general reaction: “tepid affair”, “syrupy platitudes, “over-hyped”, but perhaps the most consistent message of disappointment was the Speech’s failure to provide any specifics on how the government will cope with what is undoubtedly the most serious challenge facing our province, the hollowing out of the manufacturing sector.
Mr. Speaker, Webster’s Dictionary defines crisis as “a situation that has reached a critical phase, with the distinct possibility of a highly undesirable outcome.”
I would suggest Mr. Speaker that the situation in this province’s manufacturing sector meets that definition.
In a press conference following the Speech from the Throne the CBC Radio’s John McGrath asked Mr. McGuinty about the Speech’s failure to adequately address job losses in the manufacturing sector and the Premier fumbled, mumbled and stumbled through a non answer, an approach that typifies a seeming nonchalance to the loss of over 154,000 jobs since 2005 and the impact those job losses have on communities, families, and the future well-being of this province.
It’s a “Don’t worry be happy” approach that is unnerving at best and should give all Ontarians pause.
There appears to be a real lack of understanding or a failure to listen or both, when it comes to the challenges in our manufacturing sector.
The most recent example of that is the government’s introduction of a new statutory holiday, coming to a business near you, if there are any left, this February.
They call it – in their usual Orweillian fashion – “Family Day”. One of our Members – Lisa MacLeod – has introduced a resolution to change the name of this holiday to “Unnecessary Fiscal Burden Day”, to more accurately reflect what this day will mean to our economy.
No doubt this announcement has some appeal with hard working Ontarians but what about business already struggling with the higher dollar and tougher competition from developing countries? Were they consulted about the impact on their operations? No, regrettably Mr. Speaker, this was a broad-side to an already troubled business sector at a cost of $2 billion according to the Canadian Federation of Independent Business.
Auto parts giant Linamar Corp. described the holiday as “the last thing we need in an already tough environment.” With 7500 employees in the province, the day off means that Linamar must make up 60,000 hours of productivity.
Mr. Speaker, just think about the judgment here, the lack of consultation. We are witnessing a hollowing out of our manufacturing sector, plant closure announcements or layoffs almost every week. And the Liberal government’s first initiative following re-lection is to blindside business saddling them with another cost, another reason to leave this province or close their doors.
And their first Throne Speech following re-election virtually ignores the challenge and the advice of the people who drive our economy- the job creators- and is silent on tax reduction, cutting red tape, fixing our energy supply and other measures to address the situation.
Speaker, I don’t want to get personal here - and I won’t.
Some people ascribe all kinds of negative motives to the premier with respect to our economy lagging behind the rest of the country.
I disagree. I think he had and has the best intentions.
I also think Bob Rae had the best intentions for Ontario when he was Premier. Of course he’s now a Liberal so I guess things come full circle over there.
To pursue his best intentions, Mr. Rae raised taxes, raised welfare rates, created a slew of new social programs – and turned Ontario – once the economic engine of Canada – into a province that nearly went bankrupt.
Until Mike Harris and the PC’s stepped in. And turned Ontario around.
Today, we once again have a Premier whose best intentions for Ontario mean…dramatically increased spending, raising taxes and increased regulation in lockstep with big brotherism. In the process he’s turning Ontario, – once the economic engine of Canada – into the poverty capital of Canada, and as the Winnipeg Free Press describes us an “aging economic athlete” an economy that lags behind the rest of the country.
Four years from now, PC’s will do what we do best – step in and fix the mess left by the best laid plans of well-intentioned tax-and-spenders.
Mr. Speaker, the Progressive Conservative Party and our leader John Tory, believe that, without question, the state of the province’s economy, especially its manufacturing sector is, far and away, the #1 priority facing the government and the legislature and I can assure you it will be the Official Opposition’s primary focus in the days and weeks ahead.
Speaker, as I’m sure you noted, the Throne Speech either ignored or gave short shift to a significant number of provincial responsibilities, responsibilities that matter to Ontarians- like our justice system, agriculture, rural affairs, the inability of our conservation officers to protect natural resources, and on and on.
What the speech didn’t spare ink on was a slavish devotion to the blame game. Mr. McGuinty has a propensity to blame others for his own government’s failings and the speech fit nicely into the mold. Whining and blaming others was the centrepiece of the Throne Speech. Don’t believe it Members of the government? – Read it again. Ten separate times it focussed on the federal government!
The McGuinty government has the blame game down to a science. When they can’t or won’t keep promises, they blame the ghosts of governments past. And when that doesn’t work, they blame the federal government. Anyone but themselves!
As our party leader John Tory has suggested. Sir, John A MacDonald may be next on the Liberal’s political hit list!
Speaker, Ontarians expect their government and its leader to take responsibility for their actions, to buckle down, work harder, get the job done and start keeping promises…for a change.
Speaker, I’m going to take some time to discuss just a few of the areas overlooked or ignored in the Throne Speech, matters that will continue to be priorities for the Progressive Conservative party, the Official Opposition.
One of these speaker, is integrity in government.
I think it’s eminently fair to say that the Ontario PC party, when elected, governs with personal integrity. I stepped aside as Solicitor General when a young offender’s identity was potentially revealed in the delivery of a Throne Speech. My colleague, Jim Wilson, stepped aside from Cabinet while a matter was investigated in the Ministry of Health. We didn’t wait until we were brow-beaten into submission in Question Period - We just did the right thing. And that’s a proud trademark of the Progressive Conservative party when in office – along with keeping promises.
Speaker, when you govern the province on the back of a paper napkin and go where the wind blows to make policy, you are a government that lacks political integrity. But this government, Mr. Speaker, also lacks personal integrity, because it rewards bad behaviour.
The member for Mississauga-Centre, Mr. Takhar is perhaps the best or worst example. The 1st MPP in Ontario’s history to be reprimanded by the Province’s Integrity Commissioner for breaching the Member’s Integrity Act.
Last we saw him, he was drowning in scandal and running away from reporters into a waiting limousine.
Today, where is he? Right back in cabinet, courtesy of the Premier.
Another example, “Slushgate.” Money to the Premier’s friends, no questions asked.
And what happened to the man who operated the Liberals Slush machine?
Rewarded by the Premier with another leadership role, this time, in the Legislature as Chief Government Whip.
Those are just two examples, Mr. Speaker, that reflect the integrity vacuum with this government, reflect on the lack of leadership at the top and it taints all of us as elected officials.
Another historic priority for the Progressive Conservative party – justice, law and order- will continue to rank high on our list. And unfortunately Mr. Speaker, there is no shortage of concerns on the crime and justice front.
- Toronto is close to recording a record number of murders this year.
- Last year 7 out of 10 arrested on murder charges in Toronto were either on bail, probation or under court-ordered prohibitions at the time of the crime.
- Our judges continue to give 2, 3 and even 4 for 1 credits to convicted felons for time served in a remand facility awaiting trial.
- Courts are clogged with some judges allotting up to 13 remands before hearing a case, impacting court costs, policing costs and delaying justice for victims.
- Crime victims still have inadequate victim services and compensation and the shocking revelations of the Ombudsman are largely unresolved.
- The illegal occupation of land in Caledonia is now approaching the 2 year anniversary. The McGuinty Liberals have ignored the rule of law in Caledonia leaving residents feeling abandoned and trapped.
I could spend the better part of an hour enumerating the problems in our justice system and the McGuinty governments continuing failure to come to grips with them, Speaker, but instead I’m going to just briefly highlight a couple of the measures we will be continuing to press for, to address the challenges.
The 1st will be the re-introduction of the Private Member’s Bill brought forward in the last session by our Party Leader John Tory. It is designed to increase accountability in the justice system, requiring annual public reports on the activities of our courts.
When this Bill was voted on in the last session, Liberal members, including their justice ministers, silently gave victims and other Ontarians the middle finger by voting against the bill. They also sent the clear message that the status quo in justice is acceptable to them and to their Party.
That’s not good enough for the Ontario PC Party Mr. Speaker and we will be consistently and frequently driving that message home.
As well Mr. Speaker, the PC Party will continue to fight for the rule of law…that all Ontarians are equally subject to our laws, without exception. No one is above the law—or beneath its protection.
In wrapping up Mr. Speaker., I want to go back to spend a few more minutes on our number one issue, the economy.
As you know, talk of a US recession is in the air, most recently fuelled by a tightening in their bond market. That should be ringing a few alarm bells within the McGuinty govt., but if the Throne Speech and the Premier’s words are any indication, it’s not penetrating the cranium.
Last week, I met with the president of a Canadian subsidiary of a major multi-national corporation. They operate a number of plants in various parts of Ontario.
He told me---if they were building a plant today, they would never choose Ontario.
This same company, whose president I sat down with, advised me that just a few weeks ago-prior to the federal govt.’s economic statement-they were preparing to announce the closure of one of their Ontario plants.
The federal tax cuts announced in that statement encouraged them to pull back and at the least, stay the execution.
Their decision simply re-affirms the old adage: tax cuts create jobs.
Tax cuts also keep jobs.
Its worked every time it’s tried.
This Liberal goverment? Regrettably, they’re taxing, spending and regulating this province into the ground.
For the first time in 30 yrs., Ontario’s unemployment rate exceeds the national average.
Think about that.
Our economic growth has fallen behind all other provinces and is now predicted to rank dead last this year by both RBC and CIBC. For 2008, Scotiabank predicts another 10th place finish for Ontario.
We now have the least competitive business tax structure in all of Canada according to the CD Howe Institute.
We’re in danger of losing our status as a “have” province, according to Dale Orr of Global Insight Canada, who says Ontario’s economy is “only a fraction of its former self.”
This is not an accident.
A moment ago, I reminded folks that tax cuts create jobs. That it works every time its tried.
And now, let me remind you of the flipside.
Tax hikes kill jobs. Drive investment away. And hurt Ontario families.
It’s called……. cause and effect.
And it’s not just tax hikes in the Premier’s arsenal.
He’s blasting a hole in our prosperity with three barrels.
The second barrel is regulation. The third barrel is spending.
Tax, regulation and spending. Works every time its tried –at damaging our economy and hurting Ontario families.
A perfect example is …..diamonds.
Ontario could have been a world center for diamond mines.
More importantly, it could have transformed Northern Ontario into a jewel of the North.
But here’s where the Liberals’ failure to understand even the basics of economics has damaged Ontario’s future.
It turns out that Ontario is literally sitting on top of…a diamond mine. Many diamond mines, to be exact.
Now, to get to those diamonds, we need…investors who will come here, risk their capital, build the infrastructure, do the work, and create the high-paying jobs that will bring those diamonds up and, in the process, make Ontario a world center for diamonds.
So, if you want investors to come to Ontario, what do you do?
The same thing you do…with any guest you’d have in your home.
You’d put out the welcome mat.
Bring them inside.
And treat them well.
What did this Liberal govt. do?
WELL……
They did put out the welcome mat. And when the first investor-deBoers- stepped onto it….the Liberals yanked it out from under them.
They more than doubled the taxes on the diamond industry. A deBoers executive said, in this building, that “this is the kind of treatment they would expect in a third world country”.
Now, executives in the mining industry suggest that Ontario’s first diamond mine may very well be its last.
That’s what Liberals do when they’re sitting on top of a diamond mine.
They find some way to screw it up.
To the husbands and wives of Ontario—I want you to look at your wedding rings.
That could have been an Ontario Diamond.
A source of pride. A source of jobs. A source of revenue to pay for everything from education to health care to safe streets.
Gone, thanks to Liberal taxes and Liberal…
And of course, Liberal tax hikes are fuelled by Liberal spending.
In the past four years, total program spending by the McGuinty government has skyrocketed by an average of 7.9% each year.
And that’s before all their new spending commitments.
7.9% each year.
We have fixed election dates now, so we know how long they’ll be in office.
7.9%--per year-times 8 years is ….63.2%. Increase in spending.
It took 136 years from Confederation until 2003 for Ontario govt. expenditures to reach $68 billion, but Dalton McGuinty single-handedly managed to increase spending to $91 Billion in 2007-08.
What does this all mean to Ontario families?
The ones who are paying for all this?
$4500—each year—for each Ontario family.
To some people that’s a car.
Or an education.
Or a honeymoon.
Or an operation across the border, because the Liberals failed to shorten wait times.
$4500—each year---for each Ontario family. That’s how much more this govt. is spending.
Tax, regulation and spending. Works every time its tried---at damaging our economy, driving away jobs and investment and hurting Ontario families.
We in Ontario need a strategy, not just for next year, but for the next decade. We need to plan how to ensure that we reach our goal of making Ontario the best place to live, work, and raise a family. That’s why the government should convene a conference of leaders from business, labour, agriculture, and our universities to help develop such a strategy, Then it will up to our government to implement it. We’ve done it before. When Confederation was in crisis, John Robarts convened the Confederation of Tomorrow Conference. We can do it again, but only if the government of Ontario rises to the challenge of defining Ontario’s place in a changing world.
Speaker, in closing I want to assure the people watching, people listening, people who care about parliamentary democracy and the future of our wonderful province, that they have an official opposition in the legislature ready, willing and able to do an outstanding job on their behalf.
We have an enthusiastic and energetic crew with a solid mix of members experienced in both government and opposition. We’re also bolstered with the addition of four new very talented MPP’s; Peter Shurman – Thornhill, Randy Hillier – Lanark Frontenac Lennox and Addington, Sylvia Jones – Dufferin-Caledon, and Bob Bailey – Sarnia-Lambton.
They’re raring to go and they’ll keep this Liberal government on its toes.
Speaker. As much as we’d like to be overly-generous as we approach the Christmas and holiday season we have a responsibility to convey our concerns about the state of the province, its communities and its people.
And what that means Mr. Speaker, in case anyone is uncertain, is that we will not support this Throne Speech. The Official Opposition will be voting against.
Speaker. I would like to move an amendment to the motion as follows:
I move that the address in reply to the speech of His Honour the Lieutenant Governor at the opening of the session be amended by adding after, “We, Her Majesty’s most dutiful and loyal subjects, the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Ontario, now assembled, beg leave to thank Your Honour for the gracious speech Your Honour has been pleased to address to us at the opening of the present session” the following:
“However, the current speech from the throne fails to adequately address the state of our economy which is the single most important issue facing Ontario today; and
“Whereas, since the beginning of 2005, Ontario has lost more than 153,000 manufacturing jobs; and
“Whereas, the throne speech fails to recognize that economic growth predictions for the province have shrunk by a full percentage point from predictions used by the government less than a year ago; and
“Whereas, the throne speech fails to indicate any sense of urgency for dealing with the economic challenges facing Ontario; and
“Whereas, the throne speech fails to provide a plan for dealing with this new economic reality by maintaining a program of unreasonable taxation and undisciplined spending; and
“Whereas, the throne speech fails to set out a plan to reduce taxes and reduce regulations that are killing business in Ontario and placing such hardships on Ontario’s families;
“We, therefore, regret to inform His Honour that the current Liberal government is ignoring the very real economic problems facing Ontario and has failed to ensure our economic fundamentals are sound and, in so failing, is failing to live up to the responsibilities placed on it by the people of Ontario.”
I would so move Mr. Speaker
