Auditor General Confirms McGuinty Makes Families Pay More

Auditor General Confirms McGuinty Makes Families Pay More

December 6, 2011

NEWS

QUEEN’S PARK – Today, in Question Period, Durham MPP John O’Toole asked Premier McGuinty to explain why, according to the Auditor General, families are forced to pay more for everyday goods and services while the government continues to waste billions of tax dollars with no oversight.

On Monday, December 5th the Auditor General released his annual report. In it he cited that Ontarians pay the highest car insurance premiums in Canada, are overcharged for beer and wine by the LCBO, and will see their hydro rates skyrocket because of the McGuinty government’s failed green energy experiment.

When families aren’t paying more to drive their car or turn on the lights they are forced to cover the cost of a continue legacy of waste by the McGuinty government. The Auditor General pointed to over $1.1 Billion paid out to medical specialists without any appropriate value-for-money follow up. The most spent per-capita on Legal Aid in Canada with the least help provide to low income families. Finally, over $100 million spent on Trillium grants with no idea if the best projects received the funds or if the funds were even properly spent.

O’Toole said Ontario families deserve an accountable government, not one that makes them pay more and get less.

QUOTES

  • “Between the rising costs and growing government waste life has become simply unaffordable for too many Ontario families.” – John O’Toole, MPP – Durham
  • “The McGuinty government didn’t get the message after the eHealth scandal, they didn’t get the message after the OLG scandal, why should Ontario families believe they will get the message this time?” – John O’Toole, MPP – Durham

QUICK FACTS

  • “Ontario drivers generally pay much higher premiums than other Canadian drivers do.” (Auditor General’s Annual Report, 2011 Page 46)
  • “The LCBO does not sell its products at the lowest prices possible put rather at levels aimed at…generating profit for the government.” (Auditor General’s Annual Report, Page 187)
  • Regarding the Ontario Trillium Foundation – “We noted that the underlying process and resulting documentation often did not demonstrate that the  most worthy projects were funded in reasonable amounts because there was little evidence.” (Auditor General’s Annual Report, Page 239)

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For further information please contact:

John O’Toole, MPP – Durham (905) 697-1501 / 1-800-661-2433