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Fedeli Wins Release of ONTC Documents

QUEEN’S PARK – A Legislative Committee has ordered previously withheld Ministry of Finance Documents relating to Ontario Northland in the months leading up to the 2011 election to be released, Nipissing MPP and PC Finance Critic Vic Fedeli confirmed

QUEEN’S PARK – A Legislative Committee has ordered previously withheld Ministry of Finance Documents relating to Ontario Northland in the months leading up to the 2011 election to be released, Nipissing MPP and PC Finance Critic Vic Fedeli confirmed today.

Despite Liberal MPPs abstaining, the Standing Committee on Estimates voted to approve a motion brought by Fedeli as he questioned Finance Minister Charles Sousa on the ONTC this afternoon.

“In response to a previous Freedom of Information request, the Ministry said over 700 pages of Ontario Northland documents responsive to that request existed,” said Fedeli.

“However, the Ministry only turned over 11 mostly redacted pages in total,” Fedeli said.

“What have they been hiding?  Residents of Nipissing and Northeastern Ontario deserve to know just what the Liberals were planning for Ontario Northland prior to the last election.”

Fedeli also grilled Sousa over revelations about the Liberals’ fire sale of Ontario Northland found in Ministry of Finance documents released to the Gas Plant Scandal Committee.

“Documents show the Liberal fire sale won’t save the $265 million they claimed, but rather would cost taxpayers up to $790 million.  Taxpayers deserve answers about the billion-dollar gap in the Minister’s accounting,” Fedeli stated.

“Another February 2012 document shows the Ministry recommended the government defer a decision on Ontario Northland – yet they announced their fire sale just weeks later,” Fedeli added.

“It’s time the Liberals publicly announce an end to the fire sale and provide some relief to the 1,000 workers at Ontario Northland and their families who have had to put their lives on hold because of this government’s callous, heartless approach to the North.”