TORONTO, June 05, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The following is a statement by Chris Buckley, President, Ontario Federation of Labour:

Greetings,

If you care for Ontario, your families, and your friends, you must vote for the NDP in the upcoming election.

The Labour movement has long fought for the rights of workers, whether they are in a union or not. While Doug Ford says that he stands up for ‘the little guy,’ the experience of workers under Progressive Conservative governments in our province tells a very different story. Massive job losses and cuts to public services are the end game of Conservative policy.

This week, the voters of Ontario will choose a new direction for our province. The NDP and the PCs are tied in the polls, but they could not be offering more different visions.

Doug Ford’s Ontario is all about looking after his rich friends, while the rest of us suffer.

Doug Ford has said he’ll cut spending, to an amount equivalent to closing 36 hospitals – but he still won’t say exactly what he’ll cut. Ford hasn’t released a proper platform because he doesn’t want to tell Ontarians the truth – as soon as he is elected he will slash public services and fire public sector workers.

More people will struggle to get by. He will roll back workers’ rights.

The PCs are already plagued by scandals. There are ten active investigations underway into allegations against Progressive Conservative candidates, from allegations of a candidate sending threats by email after being asked why he didn’t attend an all-candidates’ debate, to allegations that stolen data was used to sway voters. Why would we replace Liberal gas plant and bribery scandals with new Conservative ones?

Ford has personally refused to march in Toronto’s Pride parade, and when Donald Trump was accused of grabbing women, Ford expressed support – for Trump, he supports TAVIS and the discriminatory practice of street checks, also called carding. Those views shouldn’t have a place in Ontario.

The NDP offers a well-planned vision for an Ontario that includes all of us. Andrea Horwath will improve and expand our public services -- including universal pharma care and dental care, and making childcare affordable.  Andrea Horwath and the NDP understand what families really need.

When the NDP form government, they will put working people first. Only the NDP has a plan to reduce hydro rates by up to 30 per cent and bring Hydro One back into public control. Only the NDP has a plan to reduce hallway medicine, to improve home care for our seniors, and much more.

This past weekend, the Liberal leader acknowledged publicly what we have all known for some time – the Liberals are done. She went on to suggest that we should elect enough Liberals to act as a check on a Ford government.  

Doug Ford and his agenda don’t need to be kept in check. They need to be defeated by the votes of Ontarians who know that we can have a prosperous province with strong public services, and programs that make life affordable for everyone.

There is only one party that can stop Doug Ford, and that’s Andrea Horwath and the NDP.

We can stop Doug Ford from winning this election.  
Let's do what is best for Ontario. Let's defeat Ford.

In Solidarity,

Chris Buckley
President
Ontario Federation of Labour

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For more information, please contact:

Meagan Perry, 
Director of Communications, Ontario Federation of Labour,
416-894-3456