Dalton & Dave accused of killing Northern Ontario jobs

NEWS RELEASE

ONTARIO NDP

************************* NDP's Hampton will fight for Northern jobs, communities

DRYDEN, ON - NDP Leader Howard Hampton says now is the time for Northerners to join together to fight for Northern jobs and Northern communities.

"Dalton McGuinty has abandoned Northern Ontario. His high-priced energy policies and his support for Stephen Harper's softwood sell-out have killed jobs, staggered industry and pushed entire communities to the brink," Hampton said.

"It's time for leadership that puts Northern Ontario's hard-working families first - and it's New Democrats who will lead the charge," he said.

Hampton made the comments in a speech to the Northern Ontario Municipal Association.

Under Dalton McGuinty, Ontario has lost 32,000 forestry and forestry-related jobs.

The vast majority of those job losses have occurred in communities across Northwestern Ontario.

In his speech, Hampton noted that industry warned Mr. McGuinty that his energy policies would kill good jobs.

In August 2004, the Association of Major Power Consumers of Ontario predicted that Liberal hydro policies would cost Ontario 140,000 jobs, and that the forest industry would be most vulnerable.

Regrettably, as Northerners have learned first-hand, the predictions have proved correct.

Despite the challenges, Hampton said Northern Ontario has a bright future.

"The future is bright for Northern Ontario. We have skilled people, excellent wood fibre and the lowest-cost electricity in the world. What the North needs now is leadership that puts people first. It means taking back control of our key economic advantages and putting them to work for us and our families," he said.

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