| MCGUINTY LIBERAL MPP SHOULD APOLOGIZE TO MARITIME PROVINCES - July 19, 06 |
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| Tuesday, 18 July 2006 19:00 |
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Racco’s comments will hurt Ontario’s ability to work together with other provinces (Ottawa, ON) – Progressive Conservative MPP (Nepean-Carleton) Lisa MacLeod says McGuinty Liberal MPP Mario Racco should immediately apologize for derogatory comments he made about Canada’s Maritime Provinces. “Mr. Racco’s comments were completely insensitive,” said MacLeod, who was born in New Glasgow, Nova Scotia. “It is typical of the McGuinty Liberals to take a divisive attitude. This will do nothing to help Ontario work with the other provinces to find a solution to equalization.” The Toronto Star reported today that the McGuinty Liberal MPP made the distasteful comments in response to questions regarding whether Ontario should follow the lead of the Maritime Provinces and freeze gas prices. Racco said, “Tell me something, what’s the economic status of the Maritimes? Are the ‘have’ provinces or ‘have-not’ provinces? How is their economy doing? Why is it that Ontario has been doing much better than them?” Dalton McGuinty will spend the day meeting with the premiers of these provinces trying to sway their position on the fiscal imbalance. "Mario Racco’s comments are indicative of the nature of the McGuinty Liberals,” said MacLeod. “Their unwillingness to work with others here in Ontario and with others in confederation is the real issue. If Mr. McGuinty were truly serious about being a leader he would demand an apology for the insensitive and mean spirited comments by Mr. Rocco. The McGuinty Liberals could learn from the old maritime saying, 'you catch more flies with honey'.” Racco’s comments are reminiscent of those made by another McGuinty Liberal MPP, Tory Wong when talking about devastating job losses in the manufacturing sector. During a debate in the House regarding a John Tory motion to help communities hard hit by manufacturing job losses, Wong said, "It goes without saying that many communities have suffered a loss of jobs, but what they should do is look for new ways to create jobs to develop their economy and not just come as crying babies to the province." “Mr. Racco’s comments send the wrong message to our friends in Eastern Canada,” said MacLeod. “Dalton McGuinty must send a strong message to the Maritimes provinces by demanding that Mario Racco apologize. To do anything else will threaten Ontario’s ability to work with those provinces.” -30- Ted Yeomans Special Assistant to Lisa MacLeod, MPP Nepean-Carleton 613-297-2051 |