Andrea Horwath responds to losing steelworkers' support

GUELPH — Ontario NDP leader Andrea Horwath says Doug Ford’s taxation platform won’t help everyday families in the Sault.

During a campaign stop at a craft brewery in Guelph Monday, Horwath was asked by GuelphToday’s Kenneth Armstrong for her reaction to USW Local 2251’s vote to back PC Party incumbent Ross Romano in the Sault Ste. Marie riding.

Following the steelworkers’ vote for Romano via secret ballot, Local 2251 president Mike Da Prat told SooToday that he can’t recall a time, in his “living memory,” where the union had ever backed any party but the NDP.

Horwath, when asked for her reaction to the NDP losing the faith of the local union, told GuelphToday that Ford’s economics aren’t going to help people locally.

“You know, that particular situation is one that is, you know, it’s certainly up to them to make their decisions on where it is that they’re going to put their support,” said Horwath. “But what I hope that those folks recognize and realize is that Doug Ford’s $18 tax break is not going to help you find affordable child care in Sault Ste. Marie.”

“Doug Ford’s tax cuts of $6 billion are not going to get rid of the huge backlog of long term care wait lists that exist in Sault Ste. Marie,” she continued. “It’s disappointing frankly that we have a situation where in such a working class community, folks have not seen a platform from Doug Ford, and so perhaps can’t measure the damage that Doug Ford is going to do, but there is no doubt in my mind that Doug Ford’s tax cuts for the rich are going to make everyday families pay a lot more in not only in soup services that he’s going to cut, but in problems that he’s not going to be able to fix.”

“He will not fix hallway medicine with $6 billion in cuts.”

Horwath then asserted her party’s platform, making an attempt to tie that platform to the Sault.

“When I go to Sault Ste. Marie, that’s what families tell me they’re worried about, they’re worried about not having affordable electricity, they’re worried about not having affordable child care,” Horwath said. “They’re concerned that the home care system doesn’t meet their needs.”

Local NDP candidate Michele McCleave-Kennedy did not respond to SooToday’s request for a reaction to Romano winning the steelworkers’ vote.