Frankly Speaking
Article by Frank Klees, MPP
As published in The Auroran April 10, 2012

"Speaker, it's clear that the wagons are being circled. The member for Willowdale was dispatched yesterday to obstruct the hearings to protect the Premier. The Government House Leader is scripted with embarrassing speaking notes to protect the Minister. The Premier refuses to answer questions. The Minister refuses to accept responsibility. The government refuses to respect the expressed will of the Legislature to form a Select Committee. And now, shame on the Government House Leader for refusing an expressed motion of the Public Accounts Committee to continue hearings next week.

I ask the Premier, just how long does he think and does the government think, that they can hide the truth ?"

........ That was my question at the top of Question Period this past Thursday, April 5th as recorded by Hansard. The answer only further confirmed, that the government is intent on making it as difficult as possible for the legislature to get to the bottom of who knew what and when about the scandal that was allowed to fester at Ornge.

(For those unfamiliar with the proceedings of the legislature, every word spoken during debate in the House or in Committee Hearings is recorded verbatim. Known as Hansard, the record of those proceedings can be accessed by the public through the Legislative Assembly's website at www.ontla.on.ca under the "Debates" tab. Webcast of the proceedings can also be accessed on the site.)

Obstruction of the Public Accounts Hearings ........

Today Auditor General Jim McCarter released his scathing report on the scandal-plagued agency ORNGE.

The report found that Health Minister Deb Matthews and the McGuinty Liberals failed to provide oversight of an organization that received more than $700-million in taxpayer dollars since 2006.

Deb Matthews repeatedly claimed she had no knowledge of what took place or that she had authority to intervene. McCarter exposed her excuses.

The evidence today confirms that Minister Matthews failed in her responsibilities and has no choice but to resign. The PC Caucus has called on her to do so.

The PC and NDP Caucuses recently passed a motion calling for a special legislative Select Committee to investigate the scandals at ORNGE.

Dalton McGuinty and Deb Matthews skipped the vote. Liberals who showed up voted against it.

Compounding this mess is a government on track to double the deficit, putting frontline healthcare delivery at risk.

We need to put Ontarians first. Deb Matthews needs to resign. Dalton McGuinty needs to launch an investigation so we can peel back the truth about ORNGE.

Sincerely,

Frank Klees, MPP
Ontario PC Transportation Critic

Elizabeth Witmer, MPP
Ontario PC Health Critic

Frankly Speaking Column
Published in The Auroran on June 7, 2011
Written by Frank Klees, MPP
Newmarket-Aurora

f you haven't seen them yet, you will. Political attack ads that paint Tim Hudak and the Ontario PC Party as being opposed to all that is good in Ontario.

The message of these ads is clear - only Dalton McGuinty will continue to give so-called Working Families what they need.... And if that doesn't sound like the battle cry of a special interest group, I don't know what is.

And who's paying the millions of dollars to produce and air these political attack ads?

Working Families.....

The tag lines on the ads tell us that they are being paid for by ....Working Families. Most will assume that this organization is made up of the typical, hard working families in their neighborhood.

But who is this Working Families group really?

According to their website, “Working Families” is a not for profit organization made up of the following unions:

Ontario English Catholic Teachers' Association, Ontario Secondary School Teachers' Federation, Elementary Teachers Federation of Ontario, Canadian Auto Workers, Ontario Nurses Association, Service Employees International Union, International Brotherhood of Boilermakers Local 128, The Millwrights, The Painters District Council Local 46, Ontario Pipe Trades Council, International Union of Operating Engineers Local 793, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, and last but not least, the Provincial Building and Construction Trades Council.

The Eglinton-Lawrence PC Riding Association is pleased that Rocco Rossi has decided to seek the Progressive Conservative nomination for this year’s Provincial election on October 6. Rocco's passion, experience, intelligence and insight into the challenges faced in Ontario and particularly in the City of Toronto, make him an outstanding potential candidate and representative for Eglinton-Lawrence.

Bernie Tanz, Riding Association President said: "Because of the close results of the last election, there has been a great deal of interest from strong potential candidates including community activists such as Ron Singer. When Rocco Rossi expressed his intention to stand for the nomination, these individuals chose to redirect their efforts and offer their support and energies in ensuring a Rocco Rossi victory. Mr. Tanz expressed his thanks and appreciation to each of them and acknowledged their hard-work, loyalty to our common cause and generosity of spirit in so quickly identifying with Rossi's incredible potential to make a positive change in Eglinton-Lawrence."

Sign up to help at www.roccorossi.com

QUEEN'S PARK - January 21, 2011 marks the first anniversary of the
McGuinty Liberals signing their secret, sweetheart energy deal with
multinational conglomerate Samsung. Today, Ontario PC Energy Critic John
Yakabuski (MPP Renfrew-Nipissing-Pembroke) revealed that, after a full
year, Ontario families still have no idea what's inside the $7-billion
agreement.

QUEEN'S PARK - Today, Lisa MacLeod, PC MPP for Nepean-Carleton, revealed
that, as part of a pattern of trying to cover up their dismal record on
the economy, the bloated debt and skyrocketing hydro bills, Liberal
cabinet ministers are playing fast and loose with the facts, hoping to
pull the wool over the eyes of Ontario families.

Today Prime Minister Stephen Harper announced that the federal
government is creating a Red Tape Reduction Commission to help small
business across Canada create more jobs.

For over a year Tim Hudak and the Ontario PC Caucus have been calling on
Dalton McGuinty to reduce red tape to help create jobs and economic
growth.

QUEEN'S PARK - Following media reports that confirmed Ontario families
were forced to pay $60 million for our excess energy, Ontario PC Leader
Tim Hudak revealed today that Dalton McGuinty's expensive energy
experiments could end up costing Ontario well over 300,000 jobs as well.

QUEEN'S PARK - Ontario PC Leader Tim Hudak will meet with retiree and
senior care groups today to share ideas on how to give seniors a break
so more of them can afford to stay in their homes longer. Hudak said
Ontario seniors simply can no longer afford Dalton McGuinty's tax grabs
and energy experiments.