Fact Check On The Ontario Budget Agreements Between The NDP and the Liberals

Premier Dalton McGuinty has been saying that Andrea Horwath and the NDP have reneged on a deal. This is completely false.

QUEEN’S PARK — Andrea Horwath and the Ontario NDP have been clear that Bill 55 has serious problems. From the day following the introduction of the budget New Democrats have said they would make amendments to the budget.

“Horwath left the door open to her party offering additional tweaks to the budget in future readings and amendments in committee.”  CBC.ca, 23 May, 2012

“But Horwath said the New Democrats only “were committed to allowing the process to go forward,” so that it could be further scrutinized and amended…

“I’ve been clear from Day One that I want to see some scrutiny of that budget bill — it’s 330 pages long, it’s a significant piece of legislation that has some serious consequences and our job as opposition is to scrutinize that bill,” she said.  CBC.ca, 24 May, 2012

“’This budget has very little to offer,’ NDP Leader Andrea Horwath said, adding it ‘falls short on key fronts’… her finance critic Michael Prue suggested the party may try to recraft bill more to their liking through amendments.”  Timmins Daily Press, 28 March, 2012

“[T]he government has been forced to make this Liberal budget a little more fair for everyday Ontarians, but New Democrats know very well that this budget still falls very short for the people of this province.”  Andrea Horwath, Hansard, 24 April, 2012

“All bets are off though for votes on the actual budget legislation, which Horwath said her party may well try to amend further.”  The Barrie Examiner, 25 April, 2012

“The people who elected us want us to keep working on the challenges that they’re facing… Basically, they want us to do our jobs, not rubber-stamp a 300-page omnibus bill before people have a chance even to look at it.”  Andrea Horwath, Hansard, 28 May, 2012

“She [Horwath] said she made it clear during a meeting with Premier Dalton McGuinty and their chiefs of staff that she intended to call for public hearings on the budget bill and propose amendments.”  Globe and Mail, 24 May, 2012

http://ontariondp.com/en/fact-check-ndp-problems-with-bill-55-are-old-news