Legislative session will contrast leaders' priorities: NDP

Ontario NDP Leader Andrea Horwath looked ahead to the new legislative session by saying New Democrats will focus on what matters to families: prescription drug coverage for everyone regardless of age, better health care, addressing the seniors care crisis, and lowering costs on essentials like hydro. It's time, Horwath says, for the leaders to be clear about what their priorities will be after the next election.

“New Democrats believe that government can be about delivering for families. It can deliver the services that make life better for people,' said Horwath. 'But Kathleen Wynne has let people down. She's been showing people that she's in it for herself and her party.

'And Patrick Brown won't tell us what his plans are, but after years of standing with Conservatives who cut like Stephen Harper, Mike Harris and Tim Hudak, we can expect his priorities to be conservative cuts and conservative privatization.”

Horwath said that when MPPs return to Queen's Park on Monday, Brown should come clean on what Ontario services he would cut.

Over the summer, Horwath travelled across the province and met with families who are struggling with flat wages, increasing costs and unmanageable hydro bills. She visited communities hard-hit by local school closures and hospital cuts. She heard concerns about the devastating state of seniors care and listened to families who’ve waited for long nights in ER hallways with their loved ones. In recent months, she has released plans to create a drug plan that covers everyone, a plan to return Hydro One to public hands so Ontario has more control over costs again, and a plan to make working-life better for people, including more stability, more vacation days and paid sick days.

“Kathleen Wynne has disappointed Ontarians with her cuts to schools and hospitals and her sell-off of Hydro One,' said Horwath. 'With Brown offering only more cuts, only New Democrats have a plan to improve public services and put people at the heart of government.