At a press conference on Monday, CUPE Ontario President Fred Hahn and lawyer Steven Shrybman cited that, in their legal opinion, an act buried in the Ontario Liberal government's mammoth budget bill makes sweeping changes that open the door to privatizing almost any crown corporation
or government service, and will lead to more back-room deals. Hahn, president of the The Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) Ontario, unveiled this legal opinion written by Shrybman, a partner at Sack Goldblatt Mitchell LLP practicing in public interest and international trade law, on Schedule 28 of the budget legislation, Bill 55.
On Monday, NDP Leader Andrea Horwath referenced this legal opinion during Question Period as Premier Dalton McGuinty tabled a motion to limit clause-by-clause debate on the budget to 13 hours. McGuinty reiterated on Monday his desire to implement the entire bill and the New Democrats try to get more time to debate the budget's controversial proposals to outsource some services to the private sector.
“This morning, we got a real example of why exactly we need to look carefully at the government’s omnibus 300-page bill,” said Horwath.
McGuinty stated that while the government has looked into privatization of assets like Hydro One and the LCBO, “There will be no fire sales.” Finance Minister Dwight Duncan told reporters that CUPE's legal opinion is “full of holes.”
The release from CUPE is below.
"This act opens the door to privatizing every public service in the province, even contracting OHIP services out to an American HMO, all without the approval of the Legislature, and all without any scrutiny," said Hahn. "Ontarians learned from Ornge and eHealth that major deals affecting public services must be done out in the open and transparently. This act will give us a crate of Ornges."
Contrary to earlier reports, Schedule 28 is not limited in scope to Service Ontario. The legal opinion, which is posted on the CUPE Ontario website at cupe.on.ca/budget, states that Schedule 28 gives cabinet authority over "contracting out or privatization of any and all Ontario Government Services," to any person or corporate entity, whether Canadian or foreign-owned.
The act overrides requirements for quality standards contained in other, pre-existing laws. It also allows private service providers of public services new powers to collect and retain fees, even though that is prohibited by the Financial Administration Act, and transfers decision-making authority from the Legislature to individuals and private corporations.
"Once that authority is given, there is no requirement for transparency or accountability for privatization decisions made by the minister or the quasi-Crown corporations similarly empowered under the Act," said Shrybman. "And this is true regardless of the character, scale or importance of the services in question."
It opens the door to back-room deals to sell off the LCBO or Hydro One, and allows government services including water quality monitoring or school curriculum development to be privatized or contracted out.
CUPE Ontario is calling on all three parties to remove this disastrous Act from the budget bill immediately.
"The Liberals are taking a page from Stephen Harper's playbook. They're attacking the foundations of our democracy, and hiding the legislation in a huge budget omnibus bill," said Hahn. "We believe the public has a right to know what its government is doing, and has a right to have a say in how services are delivered. Schedule 28 takes the last requirements for accountability and transparency and throws them out the window. That's something that should be seriously debated in the house."
do what they do in the
do what they do in the states LAY everyone of the 60,000 people associated with the horse racing community off now and let the government see what it is going to cost them now it is as easy as that right now instead of waiting till the hammer is lowered all the yelling and bickering will stop now,don't get me wrong I don't want to see anyone lose their job but give them a taste of what is coming esp. the stables that can't afford to race because of the loss of the slot program.
It is only a suggestion and by no means the answer but it is headed that way and all the 60000 people can apply for benefits and see how the liberals help it then.
good luck
You want to send a message
You want to send a message to the politicians ? I say get some horse manure in large quantities and get a truck. Drive right up to various offices of these big wigs and dump it on their door step. I am not kidding at all. Heck put a sign in the horse manure saying what you want to say. Guaranteed someone would get photos and the media would hear of it and be right there covering it.
how about making noise!!!!
how about making noise!!!! look what is happening in quebec. 33 consecutive nightly rallys by the students on the streets in beautiful montreal. wake-up horse people and start doing the same thing. stop talking and rally together every night on the streets.it is your constitutional right to do so.
It should and can be
It should and can be mainstream news, if we all send it to [email protected]. I have been forwarding every article, I believe newsworthy, in the hopes that they will see fit to produce a program in support of Ontario Horse Racing.
I agree with Michel why we
I agree with Michel why we need (any organization) to tell us if we can rally or not. Let’s get something going and we will bring all the attention we can muster, I have been saying this since March. Why do we care if people get pissed at us, they don't seem to care about us. Tell me where and when lets spread the word I'll be there.
why isn't this main stream
why isn't this main stream news?
This is absolutely
This is absolutely OUTRAGEOUS..The FOX is looking after the hen House!!!
This government telegraphed
This government telegraphed its deceit from day one and yet somebody elected them not once, but twice more. Anybody learn anything yet?
If this is not STOPPED, why
If this is not STOPPED, why would we need a gouvernment, let's all stop PAYING TAXES on every thing or privatize everything and have the money that privatization produces put in to a PROPLES ACCOUNT to be managed by the right people, get all politicians removed from office before they drain the well dry.I said it once before, THEY WRITE THE LAWS FOR THEMSELVES. Have a good day.
I cannot believe what I see
I cannot believe what I see everyday on this site. The same 30 people write on this site to complain about the government decisions about the horse racing industry. The other parties are there to publicly complain, like they usually about ALL decision made, by the party in power.
But no ones does anything!!!!!!! The NDP had a choice to vote against the budget and Horwath let it go even if she made all horse people think she would vote against the budget. Some other politicians came to talk to get themselves known with no impact, BUT what is even worse is that the 60,000 people hired in the industry (mostly in Southern Ontario) didn't even put any pressure on the government leaders....so easy to get their trucks on the 401 and block the entrance to the slot/casinos.
Unbelievable,they will wake up, with a decision that is too late (if not already)to overturn and no job to go to. There are no leaders within the racing communities???? Why is that that the trainers, drivers, vet, blacksmith ect....not grouping to make noise. In politics it's easy you get someone as a lobbyist (too late for this) or you get the public favor and cause problems by blocking highways and entrabnces where the they make money.
if you need a leader to make noise call the union for the student in Quebec, they know how to make noise.....with no cause ....imagine with our cause.....
WOW!!!! this is how our
WOW!!!! this is how our government is doing things now a days I see. They think they can hide things from the people and get away with it, but if we don't pay our taxes or live by their rules and laws we get punished. So my point is anyone of them that are involved in this sneaky act here its time for them to punished by our laws....fair play
This privatizing crown
This privatizing crown corporations is a fit made in heaven for the E.U. FTA. I'm sure
there is some pressure from the federal level to get this deal done for the E.U. corporations.
The more we dig, the more we
The more we dig, the more we discover just how wrong this bunch of Liberals are at Queen's Park. I guess rotten is a better word. Time for them to be unemployed. Next election guys, out they go. Bruce T. Winning
This Premier is entirely
This Premier is entirely lost and possibly ill advised. He can help himself by shedding the bullying little man that is Finance Minister and cleaning house at OLG. Mathews can go as she can,t manage her portfolio either. Ag Minster is non existent so appoint someone who has a clue on how to support rural Ontario.
The pattern is clear. First
The pattern is clear. First a few well placed lies and distortion of facts to get the public on their side. Then the serious bullying begins. It worked so well with horse racing that they did it to the doctors. Teachers and public servants will be next. FIGHT BACK PEOPLE!!!!!!!!!!!
This gov't is the most
This gov't is the most corrupt gov't of all time. We need to canvass Andrea Horwath and the NDP to defeat the budget and force an election in order to rid this Province of this anarchy. There have been far too many back room deals already.
Transparency is the last
Transparency is the last thing this government wants. Bullying this budget through is their tactical strategy.
This sneaky backroom dealing
This sneaky backroom dealing should be enough to bring down the Liberals. This budget not only devastates the horse racing industry, it sells all of Ontario to the first bidder, not necessarily the best bidder. If the unions have taken this on, we could have an opportunity to bring in a government that will work for all Ontarians, will welcome legal outside business which will invest in the province, reduce the number of people on the Sunshine list and make the top end of the public service actually work for their wages, which should be substantially reduced.