Vaughan
July 30, 2009
MPP takes on transportation, infrastructure portfolios in PC shadow cabinet
By SEAN PEARCE
New Ontario Progressive Conservative Party leader Tim Hudak unveiled his shadow cabinet earlier this week and its roster includes a few familiar local faces.
And while MPPs are taking up new roles within the party's ranks, others, such as Newmarket-Aurora MPP Frank Klees are in familiar territory.
Mr. Klees, runner-up in the recent leadership campaign, served as critic for transportation and public infrastructure under former leader John Tory and will continue in that capacity under Mr. Hudak.
Mr. Hudak, the Niagara West-Glanbrook MPP who became leader last month, said it's his belief the shadow cabinet he has assembled will do a good job holding Dalton McGuinty's Liberals to account.
His party's primary focus, he said, will be in the crucial areas of job creation and economic renewal.
"We need a government that gets the fundamentals right and lays the foundation for private sector job creation to bring jobs back to this province," Mr. Hudak said.
Mr. Klees welcomes the challenge.
"It's very positive from my perspective as they are both major portfolios and public infrastructure, in particular, is a top-of-mind issue," he said.
"Transportation is also a priority for me and will continue to be so for many years to come. We are facing many challenges with both of these portfolios."
And while the economy is an important issue, the province's infrastructure is also a key, he said.
For starters, Mr. Klees said he intends to call upon the government to ensure that it has proper long-term plans for infrastructure and transportation projects, including funding sources, he said, adding one-off announcements that don't materialize only serve to breed cynicism.
All things need to be considered including involving the private sector, he added.
The Yonge Street subway extension to Hwy. 7 in Richmond Hill serves as a good example of what can happen when funding sources are not clearly identified prior to announcing the project, Mr. Klees said.
Some work has been completed already, but there remains much to do and additional funds have not been forthcoming from the federal government or other sources.
That is just not good enough, the local MPP said.
"The only way to address this is to have a longer term plan and ensure that funding is part of the initial discussion," he said. "That way, you don't go making announcements until you have the funding."
There's little doubt Thornhill MPP Peter Shurman will be among the voices calling for positive changes in his new role as the party's economic development and trade critic.
Previously critic for citizenship and immigration, Mr. Shurman said he sees the new portfolio as a challenging and exciting opportunity to make a real difference.
"I've wanted a more front-and-centre portfolio for some time now. I'm not saying there's anything wrong with citizenship and immigration, but it is more of a federal responsibility," he said.
That being said, Mr. Shurman made it clear citizenship and immigration is still a very important portfolio in the eyes of the party. So much so, Mr. Hudak, himself, will serve as the party's critic for that area.
With his lengthy experience in the business world, the economic development and trade portfolio was one Mr. Shurman said he was keen to take on, adding he has already started reading and reviewing material to ensure he's ready come September.
Despite some small signs of economic recovery on the horizon, there remains much to do in Ontario, he said.
"The issues with Ontario and its industrial base are issues that have been around since before the recession and will remain after it has passed," he said.
"It's not just a world issue; it's an Ontario issue. We've been bleeding and we have gone from first to worst. It's very facile for them to say it's a world problem when it's an Ontario problem."
The government must determine how to keep existing private sector jobs here and also attract new ones by offering tax incentives and alleviation from some of the regulatory burdens placed on businesses, Mr. Shurman said.
What the government should not be doing is requesting Ottawa block the sale of Nortel's wireless division to Swedish mobile phone giant Ericcson, he said, adding that equates to little more than using the law to force jobs to stay here.
Nortel should absolutely stay in Ontario, Mr. Shurman said, but added the government should find other methods to make that happen.
"We haven't done a very good job of that," he said.
"What Dalton (McGuinty) is good at is bailing out companies and forcing them to stay using the law... This file has been left to drift for a long time; it has to be turned around."
Apart from his duties as critic for economic development and trade, Mr. Shurman will continue in his role as critic of Francophone affairs and will also work with MPPs Elizabeth Witmer and Ted Chudleigh on the PC Ontario Fund.
Mr. Shurman isn't the only local MPP taking on new responsibilities.
York-Simcoe MPP Julia Munro served as critic for culture and for children and youth services, but will now take up the role as the new critic of consumer services, small business and red tape.
She's also one of two deputy speakers.
In addition to Mr. Klees, former PC leadership hopefuls Christine Elliott and Randy Hillier also received their own critic portfolios.
Ms Elliott is now the party's critic for health and long-term care while Mr. Hillier will serve as its labour critic and critic for northern development, mines and forestry. Beyond those responsibilities, Ms Elliott will also serve as the PC caucus house leader while Mr. Hillier will serve as the PC party executive.
"We need innovative ideas in order to get Ontario moving," Mr. Hudak said of his shadow cabinet.
"Together, united and strong, we can focus on the issues that matter to families, defeat Dalton McGuinty and the Ontario Liberals in 2011 and bring prosperity to our province."