Toronto – The Toronto Star’s Martin Regg Cohn should try reporting on what the Liberal government at Queen’s Park is doing instead of mounting partisan attacks on its critics, the President of the Ontario Public Service Employees Union says.
“With a government in chaos, public services on the verge of collapse, and a privatization industry that is looting the provincial treasury on a daily basis, I would think the Star’s Queen’s Park columnist would have more to do than wasting ink on me,” said Warren (Smokey) Thomas. “I take his latest attacks as a sure sign that our union’s critique of Kathleen Wynne’s brand of legalized corruption is hitting home, and that Mr. Cohn is doing his best to change the subject.”
Thomas made the comments Thursday after the Star published unproven accusations of wrong-doing by him with respect to legal proceedings and union staffing matters.
“Mr. Cohn has publicly accused me of quite a few things in the past year, and his latest accusations are just as unfounded as the previous ones,” he said. “Everything he is doing is intended to distract attention from what his precious Liberals are up to.”
Thomas said OPSEU has been “speaking with a loud voice” about the Wynne government’s obsession with the privatization of public services and public assets and will continue to do so.
“We spoke out against Kathleen Wynne’s core policy, privatization, in the 2014 provincial election, and we’ve been doing it ever since,” he said. “I’m meeting with my Executive Board today, and when I asked them if I was on the right track as leader of this union, the vote was unanimous in favour of me continuing to do exactly what I’ve been doing to challenge the Liberal agenda of austerity and privatization.
“I take my direction from the members of this great union, not a Liberal shill with an axe to grind.”
For more information: Warren (Smokey) Thomas 613-329-1931