Tim Hudak Releases 10 Ideas to Create Jobs in 2010

QUEEN'S PARK, March 23 /CNW/ -

    
    NEWS
    ----
    

QUEEN'S PARK - Ontario PC Leader Tim Hudak today released a list of 10 practical, affordable and achievable ideas that, if implemented by the Ontario Government today, will help create jobs and support small businesses in Ontario in 2010.

Hudak also announced the launch of the website www.10for2010.ca which provides details on each of the 10 ideas being proposed by the Ontario PC Caucus. The website also includes a robust feedback feature that allows members of the general public to make their own job-creation ideas known.

The new website is just the latest example of how Tim Hudak and the Ontario PC Caucus are reaching out and listening to Ontario families. On Monday, Hudak became the first political leader in Canadian history to hold an electronic town hall to discuss job creation in 2010.

    
    QUOTES
    ------
    

"These ten ideas are all practical, affordable and achievable. We are calling on the McGuinty Government to put the brakes on their high taxes, corporate subsidies, and record deficits, and begin implementing these job creating ideas right away."

-- Ontario PC Leader Tim Hudak

"While these ten ideas will help create jobs right away, we know that there are many other good ideas out there. I encourage anybody who has a good idea to create jobs for the future to visit our 10for2010.ca website and share your ideas with us."

-- Ontario PC Leader Tim Hudak

    
    QUICK FACTS
    -----------

      -  During his electronic town hall, Tim Hudak talked with 1400
         Ontarians across the province about their ideas to create jobs and
         get Ontario back on track.

      -  Hudak is also the first political leader in Canadian history to
         launch is own iPhone application, which includes additional feedback
         features that allow members of the public to have their say.

    CONTACT
    -------
    Laryssa Waler
    [phone]
    [email protected]

             Tim Hudak Releases 10 Ideas to Create Jobs in 2010
                                 BACKGROUNDER
                                 ------------

    1.  Suspend the Tax on New Jobs: To encourage businesses to hire new
        employees, we are calling for a one-year payroll tax holiday - from
        the burdensome Health Tax and WSIB premiums -- on all new hires.

    2.  Eliminate Job Killing Red Tape and Regulations: The growing creep of
        red tape costs money and kills jobs.  A Red Tape Commission should be
        created to lower the overall regulatory burden and free up
        entrepreneurs and business leaders to do what they do best - create
        jobs. The Ontario PC Caucus is also calling for a freeze on new
        regulations until the Commission is in place.

    3.  Make Home Ownership More Affordable:  When home ownership is
        affordable, we all benefit - from new jobs in construction to more
        business at the local hardware and home improvement stores.  A one
        year suspension of the land-transfer tax will save Ontario families
        $3,000, helping them achieve the dream of home ownership and create
        jobs.

    4.  Restore Balance to the WSIB System: Increasing costs and red tape
        from the Workplace Safety & Insurance Board are killing jobs in
        construction and driving up costs to families. Bill 119 makes
        things even tougher and kills jobs by forcing independent operators
        and sole proprietors into the WSIB system at a cost of $11,000 per
        year; requiring coverage for office and secretarial staff that will
        never set foot on a construction site. This Bill should be repealed
        and small businesses should have permanent representation on the
        WSIB.

    5.  Expand Job Opportunities for Young People by Modernizing our
        Apprenticeship System: We can make it more affordable for small
        businesses to hire new workers and help more talented young men and
        women enter the trades by modernizing Ontario's antiquated
        apprenticeship system including turning Ontario's outdated 3:1
        journeyman-to-apprentice ratio into a 1:1 ratio.

    6.  Create Jobs in Northern Ontario: Ensure Northern residents have the
        freedom to pursue resource based job creation by opposing Bill 191,
        which bars development of half the territory north of the 51st
        parallel; and empower municipalities and First Nations by providing
        leaders with a real say on where revenues should be directed.

    7.  Cut Wasteful Government: Introduce a mandatory Sunset Review process
        that forces all ministries, agencies, boards, and commissions to
        justify their existence and continued value to the public. The
        public should know if they are getting value for the money spent by
        government agencies like the LHINs, who have diverted almost $200
        million from front line health care. This process will force
        government to pursue savings, higher quality service delivery and
        free up resources for job creation.

    8.  End Corporate Welfare: Politicians and bureaucrats should not be in
        the business of picking winners and losers in the marketplace.
        Billions of dollars in corporate handouts - including sweetheart
        deals for Korea based Samsung and a French videogame company - reward
        companies who hire the best lobbyists. Instead, government should
        lower the overall tax and regulatory burdens to allow all businesses
        to succeed on a level playing field.

    9.  Cap Spending: Ontario families and businesses have all had to make
        tough choices and scale back our spending during the last few years.
        Government should too. The McGuinty Government is on track to double
        our provincial debt, mortgaging the future of our children and
        grandchildren and chasing investment out of the province. Spending
        should be capped at the 2010-11 estimate provided in the 2009 Budget.

    10. Bring Public Sector Agreements in Line with Reality: Public sector
        collective agreements must reflect the ability of the private sector
        to pay. A wage freeze should be imposed on senior government
        administrators, non-unionized employees and MPPs. The Premier should
        immediately enter into negotiations with the public sector union
        leadership with the goal of working towards a wage freeze or similar
        savings through more efficient service delivery until the economy and
        provincial finances recover.
    

For further information: Laryssa Waler, [phone], [email protected]