Ontario Federation of Labour

Facts on the Harris government

By Sheila Keenen

            “The Ontario Legislature has reconvened and the labour movement too is going to work – in your workplace,” says OFL president Wayne Samuelson.

            Starting September 25, 2001, the OFL’s affiliated unions intend to get three quarters of a million leaflets into the hands of workers and members of the general public. “The leaflet documents the record of a government that doesn’t give a damn about working people,” says Samuelson. This is a government that has enacted workplace health and safety legislation that puts lives at risk and puts prevention on permanent hold – a government that has shown nothing but contempt for Ontario workers since its first day in office.

            It’s time to tally up the damages in Ontario. Workweeks of 60 hours are back. Schools are in chaos. The homeless are dying on the streets. Every week 100 new children enter the shelter system and every day 25 families are evicted from their homes.

            “Hospitals are overloaded with the sick, and starved of cash. Even safeguarding our drinking water was considered too much red tape for the government. Bad policies and neglect have meant ruin for many people. The result of handing government responsibilities over to private companies has been a disaster.

            “In addition to protesting in the streets, our goal is to get the facts and sorry record of the Harris government out to each and every working person in the province,” Samuelson said.