NDP wannabe slams Orazietti over grant fiasco

SooToday.com received the following letter from Peter Denley, the provincial NDP candidate for the Algoma-Manitoulin riding.

************************* Letter to the editor

It is no small matter when a provincial cabinet minister resigns on the eve of an election, over mismanagement under his watch.

Yet that is exactly what Mike Colle, newly-resigned Minister of Citizenship and Immigration in the McGuinty government, had to do when ten auditor-generals revealed that $32 million in grants was given to groups without a clear and transparent process.

All the more astonishing then are the remarks by Sault Ste. Marie MPP David Orazietti that he is not concerned about such mismanagement of $32 million of taxpayers’ money.

Mr. Orazietti went on to say that he does not believe it is an issue in Sault Ste. Marie.

And then, in a flip-flop typical of the McGuinty government, Mr. Orazietti has said the problem is being corrected but has not offered details.

And Mike Brown, MPP for Algoma-Manitoulin, has been silent.

I think the citizens of Sault Ste. Marie and Algoma are very concerned with the irresponsible handling of their tax dollars.

I think these voters are very troubled by the behaviour of the McGuinty government.

Elected members of the provincial parliament have as a primary purpose the responsible handling of taxpayers’ dollars.

They are in a position of trusteeship.

To be dismissive of this, or silent about it, would be an abandonment of that obligation.

The voters deserve more than attempts to but votes and more than politicians whose responses depend on the winds of public pressure.

They deserve open, transparent and responsible leadership from their elected MPPs.

Signed, Peter Denley NDP candidate Algoma-Manitoulin

************************* Earlier today on SooToday.com

Orazietti responds to auditor general's criticisms