SoVote

Decentralized Democracy

Stephen Blais

  • MPP
  • Member of Provincial Parliament
  • Orléans
  • Ontario Liberal Party
  • Ontario
  • Unit 204 4473 Innes Rd. Orleans, ON K4A 1A7 sblais.mpp.co@liberal.ola.org
  • tel: 613-834-8679
  • fax: 613-834-7647
  • sblais.mpp.co@liberal.ola.org

  • Government Page
  • Mar/1/23 11:10:00 a.m.

My question is for the Premier. Mr. Speaker, everyone in Ottawa knows that the Premier and this government abandoned the nation’s capital during the convoy occupation last year. In fact, Justice Rouleau said, “I find the province of Ontario’s reluctance to become fully engaged in such efforts directed at resolving the situation in Ottawa troubling.”

A few weeks later, the Premier and this government would abandon Ottawa again when a massive windstorm with winds of 190 km/h ripped through the city and left 180,000 residents without power. Ottawa taxpayers are collectively on the hook for tens of millions of dollars for the clean-up of the storm and from the convoy.

Individual farmers and homeowners in Glengarry–Prescott–Russell have holes in the walls of their barns and in the roofs of their barns, Mr. Speaker. This winter, instead of storing equipment and hay, those barns are expensive storage for snowdrifts.

So when Ottawa is in crisis, why does this government always turn its back and say no?

Ottawa taxpayers were hit again with the funding formula change to Ottawa Public Health. In fact, the chair of Ottawa Public Health says that will add $3 million to Ottawa taxpayers’ responsibilities if this isn’t addressed by the government.

Ottawa taxpayers simply can’t fulfill the bill that this government wants to send them. So, given the economic damage they’re already creating in Ottawa and with the upcoming budget, will the government reverse course on the public health funding formula and ensure Ottawa isn’t shortchanged $3 million?

262 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
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