Hillier blows the whistle on PCs’ $17M cut to help victims of violence
Ontario’s Progressive Conservative government has cut the budget for financial supports to help victims of violence by more than $17 million. Independent MPP Randy Hillier revealed the extent of changes in the legislature on Tuesday when he questioned Community and Social Services Minister Lisa MacLeod.
“The … year-over-year estimates show a reduction of $17 million for women’s shelters and supports for victims of violence, from $172 to $155 million,” the Lanark-Frontenac-Kingston MPP said.
Hillier, who served with MacLeod as a Tory MPP until Premier Doug Ford kicked him out of the Progressive Conservative caucus, chided his former colleague.
“In opposition, we both were very critical of government for leaving agencies and organizations in the dark on their funding, yet we still have today these shelters operating in uncertainty,” he told the minister.
“Without this critical budget information, both the shelters and the women and children they serve are living in the dark.”
MacLeod did not dispute that the $172,123,400 in last year’s estimates from the previous Liberal government had been slashed to $155,037,300, a cut of $17,086,100.
“Let me be perfectly clear where it comes to the numbers the member opposite is stating,” she countered, referring to the Liberal budget that was passed before election last June 7.
“These perceived reductions are due to the elimination of unfunded and unallocated resources from the Liberal campaign budget. That was irresponsible. Many of us in the social service types of portfolios have had to contend with a fictitious budget that was written on the back of a napkin.”
“This government has cut back seriously programs and services for women,” NDP Leader Andrea Horwath said.
“I guess that’s what they believe — that women should go it alone and not get access to women’s shelters, not get transitional housing.”