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HomeMy WebLinkAboutHuron Expositor, 2014-05-07, Page 7Wednesday, May 7, 2014 • Huron Expositor 7 Provincial election called for June 12 )NDP leader Andrea Horwath announced she would vote against Liberal budget Ontario is heading to the polls. NDP Leader Andrea Horwath announced Friday morning she would vote against the Liberals' spring budget, which prompted Pre- mier Kathleen Wynne to visit Lt. -Gov. David Onley and ask him to dissolve parliament. "It's time for change," Horwath said Friday. "You deserve a better government." Horwath said she decided to deny her support because of the growing list of Liberal scandals and her lack of confidence in Wynne to deliver on her budget promises. Wynne had given Horwath until May 8 to decide, but she rendered her decision one day after Finance Minister Charles Sousa delivered his supposedly NDP -friendly budget. "Kathleen Wynne cannot even build a raft. How do we expect her to actually build a ship?" Horwath said. "We will not be voting in favour of any confidence motion including the budget." Premier Kathleen Wynne, speaking on the Lorne Brooker Show on CJBQ radio in Belleville, said she's disap- pointed Horwath wouldn't meet with her as requested to discuss the budget. "I think there's a lot in this budget that needs to be implemented in the province," Wynne said. "But I've said all along if we didn't have a partner in the legislature, then we would take this budget to the people of the prov- ince. And we will do that." Ontario Federation of Labour pres- ident Sid Ryan and some other labour leaders urged Horwath to support the budget, which includes measures to raise social assistance rates, the minimum wage and salaries for per- sonal support and child-care workers. But other union heads recom- mended the NDP vote against it. "A lot of people, my members in particular, all 130,000 of them, just hold the Liberals in absolute dis- dain," Warren "Smokey" Thomas, president of the Ontario Public Serv- ice Employees Union (OPSEU), said. Thomas said there are some good ideas in the budget, but the govern- ment doesn't have the money to implement them. Progressive Conservative Leader Tim Hudak said he's excited about the opportunity to put his "Million Jobs Plan" to Ontario voters. Health Unit looking to help residents butt out with STOP program With the new beginnings that spring brings it is a perfect time to butt out. If you are a smoker who is ready to quit, you can get free nicotine -replace- ment therapy to help. Two STOP (Smoking Treatment for Ontario Patients) Program workshops are being offered in Huron County in May. The STOP (Smoking Treatment for Ontario Patients) Program workshop offers eligible participants five weeks of free nicotine replacement therapy and information to help them in their quit attempt. The STOP Program is led by the Cen- tre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH). It is funded by the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long -Term Care as part of its Smoke -Free Ontario Strategy. Public health nurse Julie Verch says this is a great opportunity because For many smokers the cost of nico- tine replacement products can be a bar- rier to quitting. Nicotine replacement therapy helps improve the chances of people quitting smoking successfully by easing with- drawal symptoms. Verch says there will be information at the workshop to help people deal with quitting smoking. "We'll be giving workshop partici- pants information on how to deal with really wanting a cigarette while trying to quit. We'll also talk about other lifestyle factors that are known to go along with smoking such as diet and physical activ- ity and ways a healthy diet and physical activity can help with quitting." The STOP workshops are being held: • May14 in Exeter at the Royal Cana- dian Legion at 6:30 p.m. • May 29 in Wingham at the Westcast Community Complex at 6:30 p.m. To learn more, see if you qualify, and to register, call the Huron County Health Unit at 519-482-3416 ext. 2005. "I think that Andrea Hor- wath and the NDP took their marching orders from big gov- ernment union bosses," Hudak said. "They propped up the Liberals for two years now. That means that half the hydro hikes, half the gas plant scan- dal, is on the NDP's back." Hudak said labour leaders have been running the "NDP - Liberal coalition" for more than two years now. "I'm going to say no to the government union bosses and yes to taxpayers by getting Ontario back to work," Hudak said. Horwath said she looked at the proposals in the latest Lib- eral budget, but doesn't believe Wynne delivered on previous promises to lower auto insurance rates, set up a financial accountability office and reduce wait times for sen- iors' home care. "I have lost confidence in Kathleen Wynne and her abil- ity to deliver," she said. "I can- not in good conscience sup- port a government that people don't trust anymore." New business program and grant for people ages 18 to 29 There's a new business pro- gram in the county. The Huron Small Business Enterprise Centre (SBEC) will administer the program with funding from the Ministry of Economic Development, Trade & Employment. The Starter Company pro- gram -don't let the name fool you - is available to assist with the starting, purchasing or expanding of an existing business. Applicants must be between 18 to 29 years of age. The starter company program includes: • Training and Business Skills Development • Advice and Mentorship from local business leaders • Business Plan Writing • Where applicable/eligible, a funding grant for up to $5,000 Information sessions are to be held at the SBEC/Huron Business Centre in Seaforth. • Thurs., May 8 from 2 to 4 p.m. • Wed., May 28 from 2 to 4 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m. • Thurs., June 12 from 2 to 4 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m. To register call 519-527-0305 or email kpostma@huron- county.ca Every borne in Onturio 4— must have a working i smoke alarm on every , storey and outsidc on sleeping areas. INSTALL SMOKE AI—ARMS IT'S THE LAW OFFICE OF THE FIRE MARSH AL THINK CYSTIC FIBROSIS CAN'T TOUCH YOU? 1 in 25 carries the cystic fibrosis gene. Are you the on To learn more and support cystic fibrosis research, visit cysticfibrosis.ca •7 Cystic Fibrosis Iff IT Canada Breathing life into the future'