FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 18, 2023
QUEEN’S PARK—With reservations, Haldimand-Norfolk MPP Bobbi Ann Brady today voted in favour of the Ontario government’s Bill 85, The Building a Strong Ontario Act. The Bill puts into action the 2023 Ontario Budget.
“As a fiscal conservative, I’m leery that this is the most expensive budget bill in Ontario history, but there are initiatives that could help make life better for the people of Haldimand-Norfolk,” said Brady. “The budget helps establish the Skills Development Fund to invest in skills training and apprenticeship to promote careers in the trades, plus there will be more seats at the Ontario Veterinary College, both of which can be a boon to this riding.”
Brady reiterated her position that while she supported the spirit and tactics of the budget in terms of building the economy, highways, and infrastructure, she is not certain that measures contained therein will actually help families as they continue to grapple with inflation. There are aspects missing that would have helped families such as legislation to counteract price gouging.
As she stated during this week’s budget debates: “Insurance, for example, is something my constituents are continually calling me about, they simply can’t afford it. Folks who have never used a food bank are now relying on one to feed their family and for the first time in Haldimand-Norfolk, homelessness can be seen in most of our small towns.”
Despite feeling that, overall, the budget missed the mark, Brady sees hope that the budget’s strategies for farmers, crop health and more veterinary spaces will benefit Haldimand-Norfolk. She will continue reminding the government that it isn’t always about throwing money at an issue, it’s about spending wisely, strategically and assessing whether the problem can even be solved with money.
“This is a big-spending budget, but I believe money isn’t always the issue—it’s where and how money is spent and being honest about whether the issue really is money. It’s called spending smart,” said Brady. “I see positives in this budget but, as I did this week, I will keep asking the government to implement more targeted and sensible spending to address failures and weakness in our education, healthcare, long-term care and home care systems.”
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For more information, contact MPP Bobbi Ann Brady at [email protected] or 519-428-0446