Fedeli questions Finance Minister ahead of Thursday's budget

More budget talk at Queen’s Park, ahead of the release of the fiscal plan on Thursday.

Nipissing MPP Vic Fedeli was questioning the Finance Minister today (Monday).

Pointing to hospital job cuts around the region, including locally, Fedeli asked Finance Minister Charles Sousa for a few commitments.

“Will you commit to immediately paying down the province’s debt, lay out a long-term debt plan and stop trying to balance your budget on the backs of patients in northern hospitals?” he asked.

Sousa referenced a PC pledge in the last election when saying the government is balancing the books and investing in things that matter to Ontarians.

“We’ve done a very thoughtful approach to invest and stimulate growth, to invest in those programs and services that Ontarians care for and rely upon. They opted for 100,000 job cuts,” he responded.

Last week, Fedeli wrote to the Minister with a series of recommendations.

He said the government needs to get debt under control, take immediate action to address the root cause of high hydro rates, put an end to what he calls the Cap-And-Trade “tax grab” that’s impacting business and put a moratorium on school closures.