According to a Toronto Sun report, the Ontario government has committed to contributing $5 million towards the construction of a new human rights museum in Manitoba – and that has upset Wellington-Halton Hills MPP Ted Arnott.
As the Progressive Conservative critic for intergovernmental affairs, Arnott said the grant demonstrates the government just doesn’t get it.
“Here we are with a $16-billion deficit and the [Dalton] McGuinty government is handing out money to build a museum in another province,” Arnott said. “Where are the government’s priorities? People will wonder if [the Liberals] have lost their minds.” He said according to the fall economic update, the government projects a $16-billion dollar deficit for the current fiscal year. That means the Ontario government is borrowing $1.8 million every hour, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
The provincial government has commissioned Don Drummond to conduct a review of all government spending and identify areas where the government can cut back and savings can be found. That could even include cuts to health care, which Premier Dalton McGuinty said was safe from cuts.
The Drummond report, which is likely to be released next month, is expected to recommend deep cuts to many other government services and departments, too.
“If the government has $5 million dollars to hand out, which it clearly doesn’t, why wouldn’t they look at the needs of our Ontario museums?” asked Arnott.
“We have to question how serious the McGuinty government is about getting the deficit under control. Obviously, someone hasn’t gotten the memo,” Arnott concluded.
