Horwath vows to fight sell-off of Ontario hydro system
Andrea Horwath, Ontario NDP Leader
QUEEEN’S PARK, ON – Andrea Horwath, Leader of Ontario’s New Democrats, vowed to fight the privatization of Ontario’s hydro system and campaign against the sell-off of public assets by the Liberals.
“Resurrecting botched schemes from the Mike Harris days to privatize hydro will only drive up bills for families and enrich insiders,” said Horwath.
The New Democrat leader said her party was launching a campaign aimed at preventing the Liberal government’s planned fire-sale of Ontario’s public assets and maintaining the province’s ownership of public hydro agencies and the LCBO.
Horwath will be touring the province meeting with families, community leaders, labour, businesses and other groups about the impacts of the fire-sale on Ontario’s future.
“While the Premier’s advisers are busy meeting private buyers behind closed doors and selling out the people, New Democrats will be hitting the streets and knocking on doors calling for Ontarians to send a message to the Liberal government that these assets should stay in public hands,” she said.
The Premier’s Advisory Council on Government Assets has been meeting privately in recent weeks with bidders who stand to profit from the sale of public assets, and is headed by TD Bank Group President and CEO Ed Clark.
“Asking a bank CEO to oversee the fire-sale of public assets to Bay Street is like asking the fox to mind the hen house. Our public assets benefit all Ontarians, but the Liberals want to sell them off, and give control of vital infrastructure to financial speculators,” said Horwath.
The New Democrat leader pointed out a sale would mean more expensive hydro bills for families and business, and deprive the province of $1.7 billion annually from the LCBO that goes directly into paying for the services that families rely on.
“The Liberals are planning to burn the furniture to heat the house,” Horwath said.
Public assets like OPG, Hydro One and the LCBO provide real tangible benefits for all Ontarians. Public hydro agencies provide lower cost power, and public assets continue to put billions into the public purse. Horwath says New Democrats will stand up for public control and ownership of our assets.
“The Liberals agreed selling off the 407 costs the people of Ontario $1 billion a year, but now they’re looking at selling off the LCBO which generates almost twice as much as the 407. If selling the 407 was a bad idea, selling off the LCBO is an even worse idea.”
