Liberals put Party before public with gas plant scandal

Queen’s Park - GPO leader Mike Schreiner issued the following statement in response to today’s Auditor General’s report:

 

“The Liberal government’s short-term thinking and self-interested political games have cost us a billion dollars and made a mess of Ontario’s energy future.

 

The Liberal’s gas plant scandal is politics at its worst. Self-interested quick fixes and a third-rate cover up have produced enormous financial costs, paralyzed the legislature and undermined public trust in democracy. The Liberals have put their party before the public.

 

Ontario needs a long-term energy plan. Instead, the Liberals lurch from one quick fix to another. They are more interested in buying votes than securing our children’s future.

 

Without a long-term plan, they’ve failed to site gas plants properly.

 

They have failed to implement renewable energy properly.

 

They have failed to pursue conservation programs properly.

 

They have failed to negotiate gas plant relocations properly.

 

And now the Liberals are blindly moving forward with plans to waste billions on new nuclear.

 

After failing to negotiate responsibly on moving gas plants, it is outrageous for this government to commit billions to new nuclear without an independent review of costs or alternatives. 

 

Can we trust this government with our energy future? The Liberal government's energy planning seems to be driven by what works for the Liberal Party, not for the people of Ontario. 

 

It is important to remember that the Holland Marsh gas plant, located near homes, schools and prime farmland, faced significant local opposition. It was not relocated. It is in a Conservative held riding.

 

The status quo is broken. We must demand better.

 

The Green Party will continue to fight for a long-term energy plan that engages communities in solutions that don’t waste money and provides for our energy needs today and in the future.”