Preparing for tomorrow…Ontario can lead again

STATEMENT FROM QUEEN’S PARK
Ted Arnott, MPP
Wellington-Halton Hills
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 29, 2012

THE ONTARIO LEGISLATURE WAS PROROGUED ON OCTOBER 15, 2012.
THE FOLLOWING IS A STATEMENT THAT WELLINGTON-HALTON HILLS
MPP TED ARNOTT WOULD HAVE WANTED TO PRESENT IN THE ONTARIO
LEGISLATURE, HAD IT BEEN SITTING.

Preparing for tomorrow…Ontario can lead again
Our Caucus does not just oppose for the sake of opposing. We are also endeavouring
to offer constructive and thoughtful alternatives to the current Government’s policies.

Accordingly, we have released a series of “White Papers” on some of the challenges the
next Government will face.

Each of our White Papers contains bold proposals which are intended to initiate public
discussion. They are not “party policy” per se, but do represent some of our current
thinking.

As we move forward in the coming months, the feedback we receive will help us refine
our plan for Government.

We need bold proposals, because Ontario is in trouble.

We have 600,000 people looking for work who can’t find a decent job.

We have an economy that seems stuck in neutral.

We have a deficit of over $14 billion, which means, in effect, we are borrowing $1.6
million each and every hour, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

We have a provincial debt that has virtually doubled since the Liberals came to office in
2003, meaning, in effect, each and every person in Ontario owes $19,075 because of
years of government overspending.

We have red tape and government regulations which are strangling our small
businesses.

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We have electricity prices that are set to rise dramatically in the coming years because
of a misguided energy policy.

We have a broken arbitration system which assumes there is no upper limit on the ability
of property taxpayers to pay more.

We have grid-lock in Toronto which cuts into our family time at home and costs billions in
lost productivity.

We have a skills shortage, but an apprentice training system that seems locked in the
past.

On October 11, we released Paths to Prosperity: An Agenda for Growth.

We propose to reduce Ontario tax rates to attract investment, create jobs, and expand
the economy.

We propose to balance the budget before 2017 by eliminating wasteful spending and
focusing on key priorities.

We propose to reduce the regulatory burden in Ontario by a minimum of 33% over 3
years.

We propose to cancel the non-competitive feed-in tariff program and subject future wind
and solar projects to tests like demand assessment, competitive bidding, and local
approval.

We propose to fix the arbitration system and ensure that taxpayers’ ability to pay for
arbitrated settlements is a central consideration.

We propose building new subway lines in Toronto as a priority when finances are
available, and better coordination of transit planning and operations through Metrolinx.

We propose to modernize the skilled trades apprenticeship system to encourage job
creation, especially in the areas where there is currently a skills shortage.

On all of these challenges, this White Paper offers suggestions for solutions.

We are preparing for tomorrow. Ontario can lead again.

For more information, call our Wellington-Halton Hills Provincial Riding Office at 1-800-
265-2366.

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Wellington-Halton Hills MPP Ted Arnott in the Amethyst Room of the Ontario Legislature, October 29, 2012. If the
Legislature had not been prorogued, the Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs would be
conducting public hearings in this room, seeking the truth on the Government’s decisions to cancel the Oakville and
Mississauga gas plants. The cancellations will cost Ontario taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars.

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Ted Arnott, MPP
Phone: 416-325-3880
Email: ted.arnott@pc.ola.org