Toronto– OPSEU President Warren (Smokey) Thomas says the Minister of Children, Community and Social Services is not going to get herself off the hook by using smokescreens to try to cover her treatment of children with autism.
Thomas is disappointed that minister MacLeod has started lashing out at critics who have called on her to resign for trying to bully frontline experts into endorsing cuts to autism programs.
“After being called out for acting more like a mob boss than a minister, MacLeod is now attacking her many, many critics by saying we’re playing ‘partisan games,’” said Thomas. “But standing up for families struggling to help support their kids is no game.”
“It’s no game when families go deep in debt just to get the supports our government could and should be providing. It’s no game when families are forced to sell their homes to get the services this government is refusing to provide,” Thomas added.
Lisa MacLeod’s attempt to resort to desperate grandstanding has shredded any credibility with the people she’s supposed to help, Thomas said.
“The Minister of Mean has to go,” said Thomas. “Ontarians don’t need more threats, bullying, non-apologies, and slurs.
“She’s clearly not up to the job. The last thing those who were threatened need to hear is sorry, not sorry.”
OPSEU First Vice-President/Treasurer Eduardo (Eddy) Almeida says Ontario will never succeed with ministers and a Premier who put partisanship before the people.
“At the heart of everything we do is the genuine desire to help all Ontarians succeed,” said Almeida. “The Minister of Mean and the Premier of Pugnacious should focus on the people and work with OPSEU, the voice of frontline workers.”
Thomas hopes that Doug Ford will rethink his support for MacLeod after his backbenchers come back from the long weekend.
“Conservative MPPs are in for a rough ride as they return to their constituencies this Family Day weekend,” said Thomas. “You can be sure that they’ll hear from all kinds of families who are disgusted by a minister and a Premier who seem to be using the Trump playbook of division and derision.
“If they don’t start changing their tune, and quick, they’re the ones who are going to be taking an all-expenses paid trip to the Opposition benches in three years. Maybe the minister’s reference to four long years is recognition that the countdown has started on the Ford government.”
For more information: Warren (Smokey) Thomas, 613-329-1931