July 29th, 2015
Letter from NDP Finance Critic Catherine Fife to Finance Minister Sousa about further Asset Sales
Dear Minister Sousa,
As the wheels continue to turn on the Liberal plan to sell-off Hydro One, Ontarians deserve to know what your plans are in relation to further possible asset sales. Will your government be selling more public assets, or will you leave Ontarians in the dark as you did with the selloff of Hydro One.
Selling Hydro One is going to leave young and middle class families paying more for electricity. Small businesses say it will seriously impact their ability to invest, hire and grow. And families, businesses, municipalities and even your own Liberal party activists have all been saying, loud and clear, stop the sell-off before it’s too late, and yet the Liberal Government continues to ignore this growing chorus of opposition.
Ontarians know that the Premier’s plan to selloff Hydro One was never mentioned during the last election by the Premier, yourself or hundreds of other Liberal candidates across the province. They’re disappointed with the Premier for not living up to her promise to be a different kind of politician, to be open, honest and transparent with the people of Ontario.
That breach has left Ontario families with some serious questions about what could come next, and with good reason.
I note that on June 29th Ed Clark, the Premier’s privatization czar, was appointed to a senior role in her Government. On June 3, 2015 you, Minister Sousa, responded to questions about what assets the Liberal government was planning to sell next by saying “right now there is no determination.” On June 4, in Question Period, our leader Andrea Horwath asked the Premier what this meant, and what else the Liberals are planning on putting on the auction block but there were no clear answers given.
I’m asking you now to be clear with Ontario families as they deserve a government that is honest with them: Is the Liberal government planning to sell more assets? And what assets are you planning to sell?
I look forward to a prompt reply and a clear and unequivocal answer.
Sincerely,
[Original Signed]
Catherine Fife, MPP Kitchener Waterloo
NDP Finance Critic
Cc: The Hon. Kathleen Wynne
The Hon. Deb Matthews
