NDP Economic Development Critic Paul Miller today condemned the McGuinty government – especially Economic Development and Trade Minister Sandra Pupatello – for failing the province’s autoworkers.

NDP Leader Howard Hampton today welcomed news that the provincial and federal governments will be spending more than $6-billion on long-awaited infrastructure projects across Ontario, but wondered why it took so long for the agreement to be reached.

NDP Municipal Affairs Critic Andrea Horwath wants to know when the McGuinty government plans to give Ontario’s cash-strapped municipalities a fair deal.

“Where’s the cash for municipalities? Towns and cities across Ontario are being squeezed for additional funds with the cost for essential programs and services mounting,” said Horwath, alluding to escalating court security costs and firefighter workplace-illness claims.

The McGuinty Liberals have closed the door on essential supports for children with autism and their families in Northern Ontario, says NDP Children and Youth Services Critic Andrea Horwath.

“The McGuinty Liberals brutal approach of denying children with autism their therapy is callous and heartless. How can the McGuinty Liberals so cruelly stand by and watch as these services, that entire communities of children and parents rely on, are cutback?” asked Horwath.

– Ontario’s manufacturing recession has claimed another 720 jobs while Dalton McGuinty continues to refuse to use tools to stem the job losses, charges NDP Leader Howard Hampton.

“The job losses at Sterling Truck are devastating for St. Thomas. The community is being punished economically while the McGuinty government remains stuck in neutral, refusing to use the tools at its disposal to save some of these jobs,” said Hampton.

Ontario’s NDP Children and Youth Critic Andrea Horwath is calling on the McGuinty government to restore an allowance that enables low-income families to provide winter clothing and school supplies for their children.

NDP Critic for Health and Long-Term Care France Gélinas is thrilled the Ombudsman is launching an investigation into the McGuinty Liberals’ mishandling of long-term care.

“Ontarians will be glad to finally see actions being taken to stem the tide of horror stories in long-term care. The McGuinty Liberals may have tried to block scrutiny of their failings, but I am thrilled the Ombudsman has found a creative way to investigate their mishandling of the long-term care file,” said Gélinas, MPP for Nickel Belt.

NDP Critic for Health and Long-Term Care France Gélinas is calling on the Ontario government to put an immediate moratorium on using sewage sludge as a fertilizer for crop fields.

“There are too many unanswered questions about the human health effects of sludge to allow this practice to continue. Especially when we don’t know the health impacts, why take the risk and use sewer sludge on our crops?” said Gélinas, MPP for Nickel Belt.

NDP MPP Gilles Bisson says the McGuinty Liberal plan to conserve half of Ontario’s boreal forest is nothing more than a hollow announcement.

“New Democrats support conservation of the boreal forest, however, this announcement is short on details and long on promises. The McGuinty Liberals have created a lot of uncertainty in the North, which is already facing economic hardship. We have to ensure there is a balance between environmental conservation and sustainable development,” said Bisson.

– Perennial plumes of black soot emissions falling from the sky signal an urgent need for concerted government action on solving Hamilton’s soot fallout saga, Hamilton Centre MPP Andrea Horwath said today.