TORONTO, June 19, 2014 /CNW/ - "I want to congratulate Andrea Horwath and the NDP on the recent Ontario election. The Steelworkers stand strong with Andrea, and I'm proud of our members who worked so hard for NDP candidates across Ontario during the campaign," said Marty Warren, USW District 6 Director.
"While we didn't form government this time, the NDP did well. Our party took a third seat from anti-union Conservatives, adding to two re-elected NDP MPPs who defeated Tories in earlier by-elections. We also stood our ground in a tough fight against scandal-plagued Liberals," said Warren.
The NDP has momentum in the right direction with four more seats than in the last general election in 2011 and more women MPPs contributing to the record-breaking 38 women elected in Ontario. Since Andrea Horwath became NDP leader in 2009, the NDP has more than doubled its seats in the Ontario Legislative Assembly, from 10 to 21.
"I am saddened that we have lost three strong, progressive voices from Toronto in the recent election, and I want to thank Rosario Marchese, Michael Prue and Jonah Schein for all their great work at Queen's Park over the years," said Warren. "You will always have a friend in the Steelworkers."
"Steelworkers were active campaigners for NDP candidates across Ontario, particularly in our USW strongholds of Hamilton and Sudbury, and we worked hard to elect as many New Democrat MPPs as we could. I want to thank all the USW members who worked the phones, put up signs, canvassed door-to-door and got out the vote for our partner in politics, the NDP," said Warren.
"We welcome our three new NDP MPPs and look forward to working with you: Joe Cimolino in Sudbury, Jennifer French in Oshawa and Lisa Gretzky in Windsor-West," said Warren.
"As Andrea says, 'Every New Democrat MPP you send to Queen's Park will work hard for you. They are the most progressive choice for Ontario'."
"Now that the election is over, we must continue our work holding the Liberals to account. We will not let them off the hook for their scandals, free-spending and over-promising," said Warren.
Four NDP candidates in the recent campaign have direct connections to the Steelworkers: Paul Miller, MPP for Hamilton East-Stoney Creek and Michael Mantha, MPP for Algoma-Manitoulin are both former Steelworkers. P.C. Choo, NDP candidate in Etobicoke-Lakeshore is a USW member of Local 1998 at the University of Toronto. Kathy Cornish, NDP candidate in Elgin-Middlesex-London is a former member of the USW.
"I am proud of the USW's hard work and generous contributions during this provincial campaign. I thank all USW members who got involved for being a part of that effort," said Warren.
SOURCE: United Steelworkers (USW)
Marty Warren, USW District 6 Director, 416-243-8792
Tony DePaulo, USW District 6, 416-243-8792, [email protected]
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