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Timmins – Today in Timmins, NDP MPPs Gilles Bisson (Timmins-James Bay) and John Vanthof (Timiskaming-Cochrane) announced the New Democrat plan for improving transportation across the north by restoring ONTC passenger rail service, improving winter road maintenance, twinning northern highways and creating new passing lanes.

“The Liberal decision to cancel the Northlander never made sense for northerners who depend on this vital transportation link between our communities,” said Bisson. “The government talks a good talk about transit in Southern Ontario but only New Democrats have a plan to bring back passenger rail service to the north, make our winter roads safe and invest in northern infrastructure.”

Bisson and Vanthof outlined NDP plans to twin northern highways and create new passing lanes at a rate of at least 30 kilometres per year. They noted that the government has let down northerners when it comes to winter road maintenance with private snow removal contracts. New Democrats vowed to make winter driving conditions safer by putting 200 new pieces of snow clearing equipment on northern roads to bring the total number of snowploughs and spreaders to 1300, an increase of nearly 20%.

“Northerners want the Northlander back. New Democrats have heard that message loud and clear and we will deliver,” said Vanthof. “We’ve also heard in our communities, and through our Northern Road Report, that northerners are fed up with unsafe winter driving conditions on our roads. That’s why we’re taking real steps to fix the problem by putting 200 new pieces of equipment on the job.”

Bisson and Vanthof said that New Democrats are putting northerners first with real plans to improve transportation across the north.

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QUEEN’S PARK – NDP Timiskaming-Cochrane MPP John Vanthof says a special report by the Auditor General reaffirms what New Democrats have been saying all along – that the divestment of the ONTC is a mistake – and urged Liberals to halt the process.

“When the Liberals announced the short sighted fire sale of the ONTC, we knew it was a mistake and we said so,” said Vanthof. “But the Liberals carried on, trumpeting apparent savings for Ontario. Now we know we were right – instead of saving money, the Liberals could cost the province almost a billion dollars. That’s three times the amount they were supposed to save, and Ontarians could be left to pick up the cost of their misguided policies unless the divestment process is stopped.”

In a special report released this afternoon, Ontario’s Auditor General outlined the real costs of the ONTC divestment so far. While the Liberal government publicly promised savings of $265.9 million over three years, they planned to spend $325 million on the divestment process itself. The Auditor General’s office says known costs may be as high as $820 million, with more unknown costs to come.

“The AG made it clear that the government was entering uncharted water with an asset sale of this size; but instead of taking the time to handle it correctly, the Liberals plunged ahead with unreasonable promises, no accurate financial plan, and no working structure in place,” explained Vanthof.

The Auditor’s report says ineffective internal communication, unclear operational structure, and a lack of stakeholder consultation all contributed to the rising costs.

“This is exactly the kind of foolish financial mess the Liberal government has become known for, and preventing messes like this is exactly the reason why New Democrats have been pushing for the creation of a Financial Accountability Office,” said Vanthof. “But while the Libs are happy to jump into spending scandals headfirst, they are dragging their heels on the creation of the very office that could prevent wasteful spending before it happens.”

Vanthof says the sale should be stopped, and called on the government to work with the North to develop a sustainable plan for the continued operation of the ONTC.

“Ontario deserves a government that has a real plan for the North, values real community consultation, and won’t throw away valuable resources without considering the actual financial and social costs,” said Vanthof. “Let’s stop the divestment before it goes any further, and work with stakeholders and affected communities to create a sustainable, valuable business model for the ONTC.”

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“The Liberals are blindly plowing forward on more private power deals even though these deals are driving up hydro bills for people and businesses,” said NDP House Leader Gilles Bisson. “Both Kathleen Wynne and Tim Hudak are more interested in helping out well-connected private power companies and their profits than they are in getting people’s bills under control.”

While the Liberal Energy Minister has called skyrocketing bills a “fact of life,” New Democrats have been putting forward ways to get hydro bills under control. Gilles Bisson’s motion would ask the Auditor to evaluate private power deals, so Ontarians know where their money is going. It would put expensive private power megadeals on hold until the audit is complete.

“Since the Liberals took power in 2003 power bills have doubled, and they are going to go up by more than 40% in the next five years. It’s time to do the common-sense thing and ask whether Ontarians are getting value for money,” continued Bisson. “Today Liberal and PC MPPs teamed up to keep private power schemes secret and keep Ontario on a path that will lead to people being squeezed even more.”

“People simply can’t afford hydro bills that keep going up, no matter what. I’m disappointed the Liberals and the PCs voted against a common sense way to get bills under control,” said Bisson.

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“On April 19th 2013, Mr. Duffy registered to lobby on behalf of EllisDon and within days a particular bill was custom made for his client & was introduced into the House. Within weeks it sailed passed the vote with an enthusiastic support of the Liberal Caucus.”

“Will the Premier tell us what meeting Mr. Duffy organized with you & with anybody else on your staff?”

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