Following up his questions to the premier on April 8, Wellington-Halton Hills MPP Ted Arnott again brought the A.O. Smith closure to the floor of the Legislature on April 10.
In a Member’s Statement, Arnott opined that the government’s response to date has been confused and less than satisfactory. He called on the government to do more to help.
“Yesterday in this House, the Minister of Economic Development claimed during Question Period that an Action Centre had been, “opened” to respond to the crisis. Mr. Speaker, as of yesterday that was not true,” Arnott informed the House.
“In fact, when I contacted the company yesterday to double check, I was told the company hasn’t yet heard from the government.
“The 350 A.O. Smith workers need a compassionate community response in the first instance, and this is happening in our community right now. But they need the support of the provincial government as well.”
Arnott called on the government to immediately activate its Second Career program and other relevant training programs to help laid off workers retrain for new jobs, and to work with the Township of Centre Wellington to support efforts to create new jobs to replace the ones that will be lost.
Since learning the News that A.O. Smith (formerly GSW, and before that Beatty Bros.) would be cutting production in Fergus, Arnott has reached out to Centre Wellington officials, the company and union representatives, the Premier’s Office, the Offices of the Ministers of Economic Development and Training, and many others.
He joined Mayor Joanne Ross-Zuj on a visit to the plant on April 4, the day after the announcement.
“Working together, we will meet this challenge head on, support our neighbours, and continue to reach out to the promise of the future,” Arnott said.
