Nipissing MPP Vic Fedeli is not a fan of the Throne Speech as delivered today by Elizabeth Dowdeswell, Ontario's Lieutenant Governor, claiming it snubs northern Ontario.
"Kathleen Wynne’s total lack of regard for Northern Ontario was nowhere more evident than in today’s Throne Speech," Fedeli said today.
"In the nearly 3,300-word speech, neither Northern Ontario nor the Ring of Fire warranted even one specific mention.
“This is a deliberate snub, plain and simple,” said Fedeli, who pointed out Ontario PC Leader Doug Ford took time to speak with Northern media on Friday to address Northern priorities and lay out his commitment to the North.
See: Five things to know about the Ontario government's throne speech
“The problem with Kathleen Wynne and her government is that they will say and promise anything to stay in power. She has made commitments on billions in new spending for expensive re-election promises in a desperate attempt to try and save her government. She is trying to buy votes from a few of us, instead of trying to fix our province for all of us,” Fedeli said.
Read the Speech from the Throne.
The government's priorities were outlined today to open the third Session of the province's 41st Parliament.
Priorities include:
- Reducing wait times for health care by significantly increasing hospital operating budgets
- Expanding home care to provide more services for seniors choosing to stay at home, and to provide financial relief for families who are caring for aging loved ones
- Making historic investments in mental health and addictions services so people of all ages across the province can get the care they need
- Ensuring more people without a drug and dental benefits plan will have access to more affordable prescription drugs and dental care
- Providing more college and university students with free tuition through the new OSAP
- Making investments to train more apprentices for the workforce, including in emerging fields
- Focusing on regions that are struggling to achieve economic growth by investing in workers and businesses
- Continuing to make record-breaking investments across Ontario in public infrastructure such as schools, hospitals, roads, bridges and transit systems.
