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.
He is the Progressive Conservative critic for intergovernmental affairs and he said such a grant demonstrates the provincial 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.
He asked, “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 during last year’s election 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.
In September, the Canadian Air and Space Museum in Toronto was closed after falling $120,000 behind in its rent. It was closed to make room for hockey rinks, upsetting staff members as well as some veterans, who saw it as a blow to Canadian heritage.
Ultimately, Arnott argued, the decision also raises major questions about the government’s commitment to balancing the province’s books.
“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.
