Wynne alarmed by ‘rhetoric’ in U.S. election

Premier is worried about impact on Ontario’s economy if comments in election campaign results in trade barriers

Premier Kathleen Wynne warns Ontario’s economy is at stake in the American presidential election.

Wynne told the Bay Area Economic Summit Tuesday that the “regressive rhetoric” of some candidates for the Oval Office threatens Ontario exports to the U.S. if talk turns into trade barriers.

“There is a lot of concern about what could happen if the regressive rhetoric that we’re hearing down there results in trade barriers,” she said.

Wynne told more than 350 business leaders American politics under a protectionist government could slow exports from this province and harm Ontario’s effort to revive its economy.

“For years manufacturing was the leader in our economy but global forces we can’t control have changed that,” she said. “Hamilton has certainly lived for years on the knife edge of that change.”

Wynne said efforts to change the economy of the province are focused on education — especially on providing free or reduced post secondary tuition for low and middle income students.

“We know that brain power is not determined by a family’s purchasing power,” she said.

Other initiatives of the Liberal government include $160 billion for infrastructure spending over 12 years and environmental efforts such as pushing the development of electric cars and wind and solar energy projects.

Of special importance, she said, was the success of her efforts to push the federal government into expanding the Canada Pension Plan.

In a world where more than two-thirds of Ontario workers don’t have an employer pension, expanded public pensions are the only way to ensure a decent retirement.

“The reward for a lifetime of work should be a comfortable and secure retirement,” she said. “An expanded Canada Pension Plan is an effective and affordable plan for everyone.”

Ontario NDP leader Andrea Horwath also attended the event, praising the spirit of co-operation she saw between Hamilton and Burlington.

“Good to see that co-operation happening and having a vision that’s joint and together,” she said in an interview before her presentation.

“There’s no doubt that it takes everybody on the same page when it comes to making change happen,” she added. “At this point in time there are some very good signals — I’m thinking about the Randle Reef announcement, the money that the feds are giving to the Haida. All these things are just fantastic, but we can’t sit on our laurels, we have to make sure these are the beginning and not a fait accompli.”

In her formal presentation, Horwath said some major challenges have to be overcome to ensure the area’s economic growth.

“To reach our full potential in a global economy that is only getting more competitive we have to overcome some pretty big challenges, the kind of challenges I hear about whenever I speak with local chambers or business owners right across the province,” she said.

“No matter what the challenge is, whether it’s improving the business climate, tackling the high cost of electricity, building an appropriately skilled workforce or taking meaningful steps to making Ontario more competitive on the global stage, none of the solutions can be implemented or developed without all of you.”

Good to see that co-operation happening and having a vision. ANDREA HORWATH ONTARIO NDP LEADER