OFL Letter to McGuinty on Manufacturing Job Loss in Waterloo Region
May 17, 2007
The Honourable Dalton McGuinty
Premier of Ontario
Queen's Park, Room 281
Main Legislative Building
Toronto, Ontario
M7A 1A1
Dear Premier McGuinty:
Region's Job Losses Spark Debate in Ontario Legislature
(The Record, May 17, 2007, Philip Jalsevac)
I read with amazement the article today in The Record (Kitchener) citing your comments in the Ontario Legislature on May 16, 2007.
It's incredible how out-of-touch you are with the scale of manufacturing job losses in Ontario and what it means to communities and cities like Kitchener-Waterloo.
You said that there were "some challenges" in the manufacturing sector, "but at the same time, there is an overwhelming sense of optimism about continuing to work together and build jobs … that community (Kitchener) is hustling and bustling and succeeding in the Province of Ontario."
You also went on to say that you would love to replicate the exuberance, enthusiasm and entrepreneurial spirit in Kitchener-Waterloo in other communities across this province.
Mr. Premier, I worked at the BF Goodrich Plant in Kitchener that is now closed and 1,000 workers have lost their livelihood and hope for a decent future. You will find no exuberance in the 7,000 people who have lost their jobs in manufacturing in the Waterloo Region. When good manufacturing jobs are lost in these numbers in a Region, everybody loses. Working families lose and the community loses.
As Premier you cannot walk away from all these workers who have lost so much.
It is time that you listened to what the workers and communities are experiencing.
In the next week there will be three public forums on manufacturing job loss:
Kitchener-Waterloo May 23, 2007 7:00 – 9:00 p.m.
Conestoga College
Thunder Bay May 24, 2007 8:00 p.m.
Lakehead Labour Centre
Hamilton May 25, 2007 6:30 p.m.
Hamilton City Hall
I realize that Waterloo Region is a three or four hour time commitment for you to set aside but compared to a two and a half week trip to India and Pakistan it is a short time commitment.
Or we would be pleased to accommodate your schedule in another community.
Sincerely,
Wayne Samuelson
President
The Honourable Dalton McGuinty
Premier of Ontario
Queen's Park, Room 281
Main Legislative Building
Toronto, Ontario
M7A 1A1
Dear Premier McGuinty:
Region's Job Losses Spark Debate in Ontario Legislature
(The Record, May 17, 2007, Philip Jalsevac)
I read with amazement the article today in The Record (Kitchener) citing your comments in the Ontario Legislature on May 16, 2007.
It's incredible how out-of-touch you are with the scale of manufacturing job losses in Ontario and what it means to communities and cities like Kitchener-Waterloo.
You said that there were "some challenges" in the manufacturing sector, "but at the same time, there is an overwhelming sense of optimism about continuing to work together and build jobs … that community (Kitchener) is hustling and bustling and succeeding in the Province of Ontario."
You also went on to say that you would love to replicate the exuberance, enthusiasm and entrepreneurial spirit in Kitchener-Waterloo in other communities across this province.
Mr. Premier, I worked at the BF Goodrich Plant in Kitchener that is now closed and 1,000 workers have lost their livelihood and hope for a decent future. You will find no exuberance in the 7,000 people who have lost their jobs in manufacturing in the Waterloo Region. When good manufacturing jobs are lost in these numbers in a Region, everybody loses. Working families lose and the community loses.
As Premier you cannot walk away from all these workers who have lost so much.
It is time that you listened to what the workers and communities are experiencing.
In the next week there will be three public forums on manufacturing job loss:
Kitchener-Waterloo May 23, 2007 7:00 – 9:00 p.m.
Conestoga College
Thunder Bay May 24, 2007 8:00 p.m.
Lakehead Labour Centre
Hamilton May 25, 2007 6:30 p.m.
Hamilton City Hall
I realize that Waterloo Region is a three or four hour time commitment for you to set aside but compared to a two and a half week trip to India and Pakistan it is a short time commitment.
Or we would be pleased to accommodate your schedule in another community.
Sincerely,
Wayne Samuelson
President
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