Liberals accuse NDP and Conservatives of voting against help for children

Liberal Caucus Services Bureau
News Release

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Totonto - Today the Ontario NDP chose to put politics ahead of children and vote against the 2007 Budget. "Howard Hampton can say whatever he wants but the McGuinty Liberals have been working hard to make progress on behalf of families. Howard Hampton's NDP are standing in the way and voting against help for families," Liberal MPP Dwight Duncan said today.

Today the NDP voted against:

- a new Ontario Child Benefit

- Increasing Ontario Disability Support and Ontario Works benefits by two per cent

- Increasing the minimum wage to $10.25 an hour by 2010

- Enhancing child care through an additional $25 million in 2007-08 and $50 million in ongoing support in 2008-09

- Launching new affordable housing initiatives


Here is what Gail Nyberg, Executive Director of the Daily Bread Food Bank had to say about the McGuinty Liberal budget:

"It's been a long time since poverty reduction measures were at the forefront of a provincial budget in Ontario. We congratulate the government for having the courage to take on this significant issue, and we expect to see a reduction in food bank use in the coming years as a result. The Ontario Child Benefit will reduce barriers faced by families with children who are trying to leave welfare for work. At the same time, it will help reduce child poverty and hunger." (March 27, 2007)

"The McGuinty Liberals are working hard to turn around the years of NDP and Tory damage. We have a balanced budget that helps Ontario children with a new Ontario Child Benefit. This budget boosts investments in our schools, our hospitals and our communities," said Duncan. "To vote against this progress shows the NDP is putting politics ahead of Ontario's children."

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John Tory's weak leadership was exposed again today when he put politics ahead of Ontario children and families by voting against the McGuinty Liberal budget.

Just three weeks ago, John Tory said there was not one item in the McGuinty Liberal budget he would reverse:

Reporter: "(Are) there any initiatives in yesterday's budget that you would reverse?"

John Tory: "No, I can't think of one I would reverse... I can't think at the moment... I can't think of one that I would tell you right now that I would reverse." (Tory Press Conference, March 23, 2007)

Yet, just 19 days after pledging he would not reverse any items in the McGuinty budget, John Tory came out and voted against it.

If John Tory is too weak to stand up to his own caucus, how can anyone think he would ever stand up for Ontario families?

The balanced McGuinty budget brings forward real investments for the future of Ontario. A new Ontario Child Benefit program, increases to the minimum wage, and relief from the Business Education Tax.

Ontario families don't want to turn back the clock to Conservative days of cuts to our health care, damage to our schools and neglect of our air and our water.

Would John Tory vote against a budget he says he supports? Is that a 'different' kind of leader, or just a weak leader?

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