Saturday, May 9, 2009

Introducing PC Tim (The Weasel) Hudak


TORONTO — Ontario Progressive Conservative leadership hopeful Tim Hudak is calling on the McGuinty government to tear up wage agreements with the public sector and reach new deals designed for hard times. In his first major speech to a business audience since announcing his leadership bid, Mr. Hudak said the government should renegotiate more affordable agreements. The government signed agreements with public sector unions that include wage increases of 3 per cent a year over three years even as the economic downturn was looming, Mr. Hudak told the Economic Club of Canada. "By any reasonable standard, they were rich agreements," he said. "That's simply irresponsible." In releasing some of the economic policies in his campaign platform, Mr. Hudak said the interests of middle-class families are front and centre. He vowed to turn to the private sector to create jobs - something he says the governing Liberals have ignored. Mr. Hudak said the government should eliminate, for one year, payroll taxes and the land transfer tax on home purchases to stimulate job creation and help middle-class families. He also said the government should freeze wages of MPPs and non-unionized employees in the public service for the duration of the recession. Mr. Hudak, 41, was first elected as an MPP in the 1995 sweep that ushered in the Conservatives under premier Mike Harris. Many veterans of that era hope he can steer the party back to the small-c conservative policies that were a hallmark of the Common Sense revolution. His campaign has the support of Mr. Harris. The government sought yesterday to link Mr. Hudak to the dramatic funding cuts to health care and education that were part of the Harris era. "We respect the bargaining process," said Greg Dennis, a spokesman for Government and Consumer Services Minister Ted McMeekin. "We are not going to return to the Conservative approach of firing nurses by the thousand and firing our teachers and water inspectors." Mr. Hudak also said he would fight the McGuinty government's plans to harmonize the provincial sales tax with the federal goods and services tax. But he would not say whether he would repeal it, in the event he wins the leadership and the Tories form the next government. John Tory kicked off the leadership race after he stepped down from the helm in March after losing a by-election race. He is returning to the public spotlight as a talk show host on CFRB. The Progressive Conservatives also announced that veteran MPP Bill Murdoch was returning to the caucus after sitting as an independent since September. Please feel free to contact the Weasel at Phone: 647-367-2300 or E-mail: info@timhudak.ca