January 11th, 2016

Statement by Andrea Horwath regarding Liberal Progress Reports

Last year saw this Liberal government grow more and more out of touch with the needs of Ontarians. Today’s announcement shows that 2016 will be no different as the Liberal government remains stubbornly focused on selling off more of Hydro One, rather than solving the problems people and families face. 

While the Liberals keep making the same choices that leave people behind, New Democrats are focused on creating the kinds of good, stable jobs that can raise a family and build a stable future; we will stand with the millions of Ontarians who are against the sell-off of Hydro One; we will put a focus on quality health and long-term care for our parents, and quality education for our kids; and we will be focused on building a province that delivers opportunities for everyone.

New Democrats will continue to push this government to focus on what is important and work to build an Ontario that is on your side.

2015 Liberal Progress Report

  • Began the selloff of Hydro One which will make life less affordable for families and small business, while taking away revenue needed to improve seniors’ care, health care and education.
  • Less care for patients in their most vulnerable moments, with at least 625 registered nursing positions eliminated from Ontario’s hospitals in 2015.
  • Deep cuts to hospital services, with the fourth straight year of the Liberals’ freeze on hospital budgets.
  • Opened the door to for-profit health care.
  • Faced a scathing Auditor-General’s report on Children and Youth and in care, which included failures to check the abuse register before placing children in care. 
  • Refused to allow the Provincial Advocate for Children and Youth to be informed when children under his mandate die or are critically injured in care.
  • Took 7 months to complete child abuse investigations, and in some cases did not complete them at all. 
  • Put vulnerable people at risk by cutting the Partner Assault Response program from 16 to 12 weeks and saying '12 weeks is better than zero weeks'. 
  • Cuts to education caused chaos not seen since Mike Harris.
  • Post-Secondary Tuition in Ontario remained the highest in the country as students became one of the fastest growing groups of food bank users. 
  • Failed to make progress on commitments to First Nations, including little movement to implement the recommendations of the Residential Schools Commission.
  • Ignored calls to establish an Ontario Anti-Racism Secretariat.
  • Put lives in jeopardy by privatizing snow removal and maintaining poor oversight.
  • Closed childcare centres across the province while parents pay the highest costs in the country and many parents can't find access to care.
  • ‎No action on pay equity as women continue to earn 30% less than men.
  • Continued to do nothing while the erosion of good jobs continues and Ontario experiences a massive expansion of precarious work.
  • Failing young people as youth unemployment remains high.
  • Failed to reduce child poverty and refused to set targets to reduce homelessness.