CAMPAIGN PROMISES
PC leader talks business
Support for Windsor’s mega-hospital plan and a concrete barrier along Highway 401 between Chatham and London.
Those were two additional pledges Progressive Conservative party Leader Patrick Brown made during a visit Thursday with 300 business-friendly folks at the Caboto Club, where he presented his “People’s Guarantee” campaign platform.
Six months to the day before Ontario voters go to the polls, the opposition leader explained some of the key planks in his party’s freshly minted election manifesto that contains 147 promises and one guarantee.
“I signed a contract — if we don’t get these done, I’ll resign after one term,” Brown told local leaders during his speech at the Windsor-Essex Regional Chamber of Commerce’s 141st annual general meeting.
Brown has been criticized for “borrowing” some of the ideas of the ruling Liberals and third-party NDP, but he made no apologies for including “good ideas ... from any corner” in his own party’s platform.
Acknowledging local MPP Percy Hatfield (NDP—Windsor-Tecumseh) in the luncheon crowd, Brown praised the former city councillor and CBC reporter for being “nonpartisan — we need more of that.” He later told reporters he was proud to have been the first Ontario Tory leader to march in Toronto’s Pride parade and for having spoken out with others against Islamophobia.
He said two of his party’s five main campaign promises are to boost child-care support — returning to middle-class families up to 75 per cent of daycare costs — and significantly boosting government funding of mental-health services. Describing current levels of funding as “the dirty little secret in the Ontario health-care sector,” Brown pledged an additional $1.9 billion over 10 years.
Touching on concerns expressed by the local chamber and business community, Brown said a Tory government would “give you a raise” by lowering taxes for the middle class and small businesses by 25 per cent and 28.5 per cent, respectively. Electricity rates, which “have tripled under the watch of the Liberals,” will see a 12 per cent cut, he said, and his government would introduce a Trust, Integrity and Accountability Act to end such practices as cabinet ministers having to meet political fundraising goals.
“I want Ontario to be the jobcreating engine of Canada,” said Brown, who is also looking at implementing tax holidays for businesses investing in expansion.
While Brown’s speech was received with warm applause from most in the audience, Hatfield told the Star later he was more interested in what was left out.
“Where’s he going to get the $12 billion needed? He doesn’t say where he’s going to cut — I think we should be nervous about that,” said Hatfield.
The Tories said they would save $1.9 billion a year by scrapping Ontario’s new cap-and-trade climate change plan — Brown describes it as a “slush fund” — while a “valuefor-money” audit is expected to find $6.1 billion in efficiency savings over three years. Brown said Thursday his government would look at halting green energy projects at the pre-construction stage “at minimal cost.”
Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens said Brown’s promise of tax decreases is “a great commitment.” He said he also likes the promise of significantly boosting spending on services for mental health.
“It’s a really big problem here, and that would have a big impact on the City of Windsor,” he said. Dilkens met privately with Brown after the luncheon to discuss such issues as the downtown, including the future of the Paul Martin Building, which the city hopes can become a new University of Windsor law school.
Brown, 39, who is MPP for Simcoe North, earned a law degree from the University of Windsor, same as his father and sister.
On the Liberals’ approval last week of the $2-billion Windsor mega-hospital plan, Brown said a Tory government, if elected, is committed to seeing it implemented. Asked about its proposed location at the edge of the city, he responded: “I trust local decisions.”
Essex County Warden Tom Bain, who admits to being a former card-carrying Liberal, described the Tory leader’s speech as “very good.” The avid horseman said he’s had “very encouraging” discussions with Brown over the future of the local horse-racing industry, which is trying to rebuild after being decimated by funding cuts under the previous Liberal government.