Frank Klees

Press Release

February 1, 2012

 

McGuinty Government Spurns Parliament

 

(Aurora) Virtual Town Hall meetings have now replaced Pre-budget Finance Committee Hearings, and Newmarket-Aurora MPP Frank Klees has characterized the strategy as an affront to parliamentary and legislative process.  

“This is just one more example of the disrespect the McGuinty government has for the legislative process" said Klees. "Pre-budget consultations have always been the responsibility of the Finance Committee of the legislature which has representatives from all three political parties. Now the government is turning even this process into a partisan exercise."

Klees pointed out that the government refused to establish any of the Standing Committees of the legislature after the election of minority government and before shutting down before the Christmas recess. Traditionally, the Finance Committee, consisting of eight members of the legislature would be conducting province-wide pre-budget hearings in preparation for the next provincial budget.

Klees maintains that the recent virtual town hall conference call hosted by the Finance Minister and some Liberal MPPs is a deliberate attempt to politicize what should be an all-party pre-budget consultation.  

“No one is a stronger advocate for public consultations, but when telephone town halls are used by the Minister of Finance to undermine the role of elected members of the legislature, that's an abuse of his office" said Klees. "We're facing a $16 billion deficit, our economy is fragile and the last thing Ontarians want is for their elected representatives to engage in political posturing. I believe they want us to work together, to develop an economic strategy that will restore confidence in our economy, create jobs and give hope to many who are having a difficult time making ends meet."

Klees and his colleagues in the Official Opposition want the Premier to call the legislature back immediately and begin the formal pre-budget consultations. The McGuinty government doesn’t intend to recall the legislature until February 21st.