NDP to Ford: Listen to Ontarians, Chamber of Commerce and stop your costly Beer Store scheme

Doug Ford should listen to a growing number of Ontarians, that now includes the Ontario Chamber of Commerce, calling on him to stop his multi-million dollar Beer Store scheme, and focus on the vital services that Ontarians need today, said NDP Deputy Leader John Vanthof during question period on Tuesday.

 

On Monday, the president and CEO of the Ontario Chamber of Commerce wrote to the minister of finance concerning the government’s proposal to rip up the contract with the Beer Store and said “breaking a legitimate contract is a short-sighted approach.”

 

“Does the minister agree or is he now dismissing the entire Ontario Chamber of Commerce as “beer insiders?” Vanthof asked the minister of finance. “Rocco Rossi isn’t just the president and CEO of the Chamber of Commerce, he’s also a former PC Party candidate who the minister has enthusiastically quoted in this legislature.  He’s now joining the chorus of concerned citizens telling the Ford government that the hundreds of millions of dollars they plan to spend on their Beer Store scheme would be better spent somewhere else. “Will the minister reconsider these reckless plans?”

 

Vanthof said the Ford government is alienating millions of Ontario families who want to see a government focused on better classrooms and ending hallway medicine. “Instead, we have a government that’s cutting the public services Ontarians need, and tweeting about plans to blow hundreds of millions of dollars breaking a contract with the Beer Store.”

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