Ontario Conservative leader tears a strip off Orazietti

NEWS RELEASE

ONTARIO PC PARTY

******************************* Liberal MPP David Orazietti votes against health care accountability

QUEEN’S PARK - Liberal MPP David Orazietti (Sault Ste. Marie) voted last night against an Opposition Day motion put forward by the Ontario PC Caucus that would have prohibited all hospitals, local health integration networks, community care access centres, Cancer Care Ontario, eHealth Ontario and other publicly-funded health care bodies from hiring consultants to lobby government officials, and to require all publicly-funded health care bodies to post travel and hospitality expenses publicly.

Dalton McGuinty himself said: “It is unacceptable in Ontario today for hospital administration to employ lobbyists to try to influence our government.”

That didn’t stop Liberal MPPs from voting against the Ontario PC motion that would have put an end to such lobbying.

The McGuinty Liberals have allowed government agencies to use hard-earned tax dollars to lobby the McGuinty government.

The Ontario PC Caucus is taking action to ensure that health care dollars are spent on front line care.

Quotes

“We have already seen far too many health care dollars wind up in the pockets of Liberal insiders. When it comes to openness and transparency, the McGuinty Liberals have no credibility.” - Ontario PC Leader Tim Hudak

“Instead of enriching Liberal insiders, every hard-earned taxpayer dollar should go where it belongs, and that’s to front-line patient care. The Ontario PC Caucus is taking action to ensure that happens.” - Ontario PC Leader Tim Hudak

Quick facts

- 14 hospitals across Ontario spent money intended for front-line care on lobbyists instead.

- This includes $80,000 spent by Credit Valley Hospital in Mississauga to hire former McGuinty staffer Andrew Steele.

- In May, the Liberals voted against the Ontario PC Truth in Government Act. It called on hospitals to disclose their expenses, all agencies, boards and commissions to be subject to Freedom of Information requests, and disclosure of job reclassifications and contracts and grants over $10,000 at provincial public sector bodies.   *******************************