Andrea Horwath, Leader, New Democratic Party of Ontario

 Dear Ms. Horwath:

 RE:     2013 Ontario Budget

On behalf of the members of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) Local 79 working for the City of Toronto, the Toronto Community Housing Corporation and Bridgepoint Hospital, I was pleased to hear that through the strong voice and leadership of the Ontario New Democrats that new strategies to help our most vulnerable populations are firmly in place in the 2013 Ontario Budget. The new financial accountability measures introduced by your Party will provide the necessary strict oversight that should already be in place.

The 2013 Ontario Budget is still an austerity budget that brags about capping program spending to less than 1 per cent, giving Ontario the dubious distinction of “the lowest program spending per capita among Canadian provinces”. When public services are being flat-lined it is more important than ever for the Province to put in place financial accountability to stop wasteful spending. At a time of high unemployment and precarious work people need support and public services more than ever. Every dollar spent must be accounted for and spent on the health and well-being of the people of Ontario.

CUPE Local 79 appreciates that you have provided Ontarians with an opportunity to be engaged in the debate over transit revenue tools through new legislative oversight of the Budget plans to toll car-pooling lanes. In our May 3, 2013, response to the budget announcement, CUPE Local 79 stated its opposition to high occupancy toll (HOT) lanes that would only be available to those who could afford to pay. The road toll option will only increase congestion and pollution and will not solve the problem of helping to connect people to accessible public transit.

By consulting with the people of Ontario, New Democrats ensured that many of the critical issues were addressed in the 2013 Ontario Budget: improved home care, job creation for youth, a timely review of the minimum wage, an increase in the Ontario Child Benefit, reduced auto insurance rates and help for welfare recipients to keep more of their earnings.

I thank you on behalf of CUPE Local 79, and I’m sure working people across the province thank you too.

Yours truly,

Tim Maguire, President

Cc:       Kathleen Wynne, Premier of Ontario                                                                

            Tim Hudak, Leader, Ontario Progressive Conservative Party