NDP prepares for momentous budget
Fearing the Liberal’s will push through a provincial budget without citizen input, the NDP finance critic met with Windsorites Saturday to hear their concerns.
“It’s unfortunate the finance committee isn’t doing its job, but that’s really because I think that (Finance Minister Dwight Duncan) is going to take the report and implement it without any really tangible input from the members of this province and it’s really sad,” said MPP Taras Natyshak (NDP — Essex), who moderated the discussion with NDP Finance Critic Michael Prue.
Over the next few weeks, Prue will visit eight more cities in the province. Small business owners, farmers, teachers, immigrants, social service workers, and Chamber of Commerce members were some of the voices heard at the meeting at the University of Windsor.
A concern raised by two elementary teachers is the cost of standardized testing. Adelina Cecchin and Mario Spagnuolo of the Greater Essex Elementary Teacher’s Federation suggested the money spent on testing could instead be used to reduce class sizes.
“I can’t think of anything more useless in education than that,” Prue said of standardized tests.
“This way the teachers could give more attention to the students,” Cecchin added.
Downtown deli owner Louis Sleiman said small business owners need a break.
“Small businesses make up thousands of jobs, but I never see relief to help us,” Sleiman said.
Concerns about the lack of beds in hospitals, increased pressure on farmers and assistance for immigrants were also heard.
Duncan’s spokesman Darcy Mcneil said the finance minister from Windsor has been busy meeting with citizens as well. “We are working hard on strengthening Ontario’s economy and helping encourage job creation,” he said.
Natyshak said Duncan’s next budget is one of the most important in the province’s history, he said. “And it’s important to have as many ideas and input from all sectors and all facets of our province come to the table.”