Wynne Liberals cynically shutting down debate on important public safety issues: Ontario PCs

Once again, the Wynne Liberals are using their majority government to shut down debate at Queen’s Park, charged Ontario PC House Leader Jim Wilson this morning as MPPs debated a Wynne Liberal time allocation motion on Bill 174, the government’s omnibus cannabis legislation.
 
“This is one of the most critical public safety debates in our generation and the Liberals are using cynical legislative tactics to shut down debate and quiet the opposition,” said Wilson. “This bill will impact everything from road safety to workplace safety and law enforcement. It’s important the Legislature has had the opportunity to hear every different perspective.”

“The Ontario PCs support aspects of the retail model, but we have major concerns with the way the Liberals are bundling the bill.”
 
The Wynne Liberals’ omnibus cannabis bill includes a number of unrelated provisions on wide-ranging topics, including school bus cameras. The Ontario PCs have introduced a number of motions to separate the sweeping bill so that the different issues can be debated separately on their own merits. The Wynne Liberals have shouted down the motion each time.
 
“It’s disgusting that the Liberals are playing politics with issues as important as school bus safety. This government is so cynical that they will use the safety of children to try and score political points against their opponents,” said Wilson.
 
On top of that, the government has already time allocated third reading debate to 10 minutes on Bill 148, another omnibus bill, which independent experts have said will cost 90,000 jobs.
 
“We all know the Wynne Liberals will do or say anything to cling to power. That apparently includes steamrolling over honest and thoughtful debate in the democratically elected house on important issues of the day,” concluded Wilson.
 
“It’s time for a government that works in the best-interests of the people of Ontario, not their political self-interests.”