Tag: charles sousa

The Liberal Scarf: While Horwath is silent, labour and progressive speak: The Ontario Budget deserves support

While Ontario NDP leader Andrea Horwath was silent on Ontario’s Budget today, continuing her approach that saw her take no position on the minimum wage and pensions, labour and other progressive are speaking loud and clear that Ontario’s 2014 Budget deserves support for the people of Ontario.

JERRY DIAS, NATIONAL PRESIDENT, UNIFOR
“Things like pensions, things like infrastructure spending, taking care of child care, seniors, those are all things that have been, you know, the backbone of the NDP’s policies for years. I would expect that [the NDP] would support [the budget].

“Today’s budget will make a positive difference in the lives of working families in Ontario – and should be supported by the NDP…We hope the NDP will work with the Liberals to pass the budget.”


SUSAN ENG, VP – ADVOCACY, CARP CANADA
“The time is long past for debating whether we need a supplementary pension plan…CARP members have been calling for just such a plan…The proposed pension plan will benefit their children and grandchildren, not themselves directly, but it is a ballot question for them.”
LINDA HALSEM STROUD, ONTARIO NURSES ASSOCIATION
“With the improvements in the personal support workers, and supporting health care workers in the community…and with a real focus on ensuring that Ontarians feel like they are better living here in Ontario, we should stay the party line.”
ANDREA CALVER, COORDINATOR, ONTARIO COALITION FOR BETTER CHILDCARE
“There are a tremendous number of things in this budget that can do a lot of good for people for child care staff for personal support workers and for those with developmental disabilities.  I remain hopeful that the budget will pass and that we’ll be able to make the gains for child care workers and personal support workers.”

FRED HAHN, PRESIDENT, CUPE
“There are important investments in the Budget…There’s lots of good measures here, paying PSWs…that’s incredibly important.”

GAIL NYBERG, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, DAILY BREAD FOOD BANK
“Keeping poverty reduction on the table is always the right thing to do…Daily Bread has always been a strong proponent of the Ontario Child Benefit. Indexing it will allow low-income families with children to keep up with the rising costs of living such as food.”

ONTARIO HEALTH COALITION
“The good news: An Ontario pension plan that will provide an enhanced public pension for those with no private pensions.”



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The Liberal Scarf: Hudak wants a $300 million election, vows to vote against a budget that hasn’t been written yet

Yesterday, Finance Minister Charles Sousa started his first round of pre-Budget consultations in Mississauga, listening to the concerns of everyday Ontario families as he works to prepare a budget focused on creating jobs, lowering youth unemployment, and fostering growth and opportunity as the way forward. “My hope is that the

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Calgary Grit: Lessons Learned

Goodbye Minister of Finance Takhar. Hello Minister Responsible for Seniors Takhar. You win some, you lose some. Or so I hear. Regardless, win or lose, we can all take home valuable lessons from the OLP leadership race – and with no fewer than 5 other Liberal leadership races ongoing in

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Calgary Grit: Convention Math

On Saturday, Maple Leaf Gardens was a cauldron of emotions. There were tears, broken promises, dashed dreams, and shrieks of pure unadulterated joy. That’s to be expected when you bring 2,000 people with very different motivations and beliefs together, and ask them to figure out who will govern a province

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