Submitted from the Office of the Ontario New Demotratic Party
Queen’s Park, Ontario, February 24th, 2014 – Wayne Gates was sworn in today at Queen’s Park as the MPP for the riding of Niagara Falls and was given his new portfolio as the NDP’s Critic for Jobs, Small Business and Training. The newly elected MPP started work today during Question Period by demanding the Premier prioritize local job creation in Niagara.
Wayne Gates joins his family and Ontario NDP leader Andrea Horwath, at far upper right, join him a few weeks after a hotly contested contest involving Ontario Tory Tim Hudak’s old pary buddy Bart Maves.
“I’m standing up for jobs in Niagara,” Gates said. “Is the Premier ready to admit the status quo isn’t working and it’s time for a plan that rewards job creators and gets people in Niagara and across Ontario working?”
Gates referred to the record high unemployment rate Niagara families are facing and called on the government to make sure the construction of the promised new Niagara Falls hospital creates as many local jobs and opportunities as possible. “When it comes to building large infrastructure projects, this government should be looking to create local jobs and opportunities for workers, engineers, architects, and contractors to shore up the local economy in Niagara,” Gates said.
“What is this government doing to make sure that the construction of the promised new Niagara Falls hospital provide much needed local jobs by hiring local and stimulating local businesses by purchasing locally made products?”
Gates joined NDP Leader Andrea Horwath and New Democrat MPP for Welland, Cindy Forster, at Queen’s Park to bring the voice of Niagara to Toronto by dedicating all questions in Question Period today to Niagara issues including job creation, the promised new Niagara Falls hospital, long term support for the Fort Erie Race Track and a timeline for the extension of full GO train service to Niagara Falls.
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Niagara At Large 
I appreciate that Wayne saying “When it comes to building large infrastructure projects, this (provincial) government should be looking to create local jobs and opportunities for workers, engineers, architects, and contractors to shore up the local economy in Niagara.” He should note that it is equally the responsibility of local politicians to work together to promote an attractive environment for these companies. How many businesses have either left the area or not expanded because the local politicians created roadblocks
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Typical UNION mentality. Demand and it will come! I would have more respect for him if he said perhaps “We need to come up with SOLUTIONS to our problems to create the environment that creates jobs”. Those solutions include much of what I have contributed to this blog in the past. I am sure there are more. I am also sure the solution isn’t demanding anything!
I will say this however, using local trades perhaps…. if they are the most cost effective!
Extension of the GO Train… if it makes sense and there is a quantifiable return on investment!
But these are small fry solutions! Micro solutions if you will!
The big problems are: costly government, taxation, required resources, cost to run a business, Boy it would have been nice/refreshing to hear him or anyone for that matter say something about THAT!!!!
Just sayin…..
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