Pass the job protection act

By Howard Hampton
MPP Kenora-RR

Queen’s Park - NDP Leader Howard Hampton today urged the McGuinty Liberals to bring the NDP’s Job Protection Act to committee and work to ensure speedy passage through to third reading.
“The manufacturing and resource sector jobs crisis is hurting working families right now. Every day we hear of plant closings and job losses. Workers at Genfast in Brantford, at Hamilton Specialty Bar and at mills across the North can’t wait. We need to take immediate action to try to save those jobs and to protect other jobs that are threatened by the McGuinty government’s lack of action to protect jobs in our manufacturing and resource sectors,” Hampton said.
The NDP led the debate on the Job Protection Act this morning in the Ontario legislature and was successful in convincing members of the other parties to vote in favour. If the McGuinty Liberals actually work to get this bill through committee the bill will protect workers from plant closures and downsizing. It will do that by creating a Job Commissioner to help at-risk companies reposition themselves when faced with bankruptcy, shutting down and other troubles.
“Ontario can do better. It has any number of advantages, from public health care that saves companies from having to pay for expensive health insurance, to a highly-skilled workforce. All it needs is some leadership to put things back on track. That’s what my Job Protection Act is all about,” the NDP Leader said.
On Dalton McGuinty’s watch, Ontario has lost over 150 000 manufacturing and resource sector jobs.
“Dalton McGuinty doesn’t understand Ontario’s manufacturing and resource communities. He is out of touch and his bad choices are hurting Ontario. If he really cares about Ontario workers he will tell his members to work to pass this bill immediately,” Hampton said.