Horwath says spring legislative sitting should focus on people, not Ford insiders

QUEEN’S PARK — With the Legislative Assembly returning Tuesday, Andrea Horwath said the NDP’s strategy will be not only to strongly oppose the Ford agenda, but to propose a better way.

“Nine months ago, people said enough with Liberal disappointments. They voted for better health care, and a brighter future for children and young people,” said Horwath. “But Doug Ford is making it clear that this isn’t the Ontario he’s going to build. He’s putting his wealthy insiders before everyone else, and forcing the rest of us to pay for it.

“Ontario belongs to everyone — not just those with an inside track to Doug Ford.”

Horwath said that in just eight weeks since the legislature met last, Doug Ford’s back room deals and painful cuts have been piling up. Since the legislature adjourned, Ford and his Conservatives have:

• Ripped autism services away from the children with the highest needs and given everyone less
• Threw the future of full-day kindergarten into question
• Raised the spectre of increasing class sizes in schools
• Cancelled grants for college and university students and decided to charge even more interest on student loans
• Made a bad Hydro One purchase of Avista even worse, costing Ontarians $137 million (US$103 million)
• Indicated that Ford’s close friend and ally Ron Taverner will still be sworn in as OPP commissioner, despite a wave of concern about his independence from Ford
• Secretly planned an overhaul of the health care system, opening the door to privatization
• Appointed more of Ford insiders to the Ford gravy train, in high-ranking positions well-suited to help Ford out

“When someone’s trying to drag you backward, you don’t slam on the brakes — you jam on the gas,” said Horwath. “That’s just what New Democrats are going to do. We’re going to put forward more ideas and more legislation because people deserve more from their government, not less”