The head of one of Canada's biggest unions says Ontario's government has decided to forgo public pre-budget hearings, and called the move a 'slap in the face of democracy.'
The Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) Ontario said in a release Thursday that the government's Standing Committee on Finance and Public Affairs decided not to hold public consultations on the upcoming budget.
The Ministry of Finance did not respond immediately for confirmation.
CUPE said the decision was made earlier on Thursday and supported by both the Liberal and Conservative members of the Committee.
"This is a real slap in the face of democracy," CUPE Ontario President Fred Hahn said in a release. "The Liberals are proposing a radical restructuring of our public service including massive service cuts, new user fees, widespread contracting out and privatization of important public services, and they don't want to hear from the public and experts? That's not just foolish, it's wrong."
Typically the government holds pre-budget consultations in communities across Ontario giving the public a chance to provide input.
"The Ontario government appears to be on a dangerous course that will cost families more, put people out of work and hurt our communities and our economy. They need to hear from Ontarians. They need to hear options, such as our plan to fix the deficit through new revenue sources that won't affect ordinary Ontarians. As a province, we need to create jobs and build the economy while preserving quality public services," Hahn said.
The province is battling a massive $16-billion deficit, which experts have warned could balloon in the years ahead if the province does not find ways to pare down the cash shortfall.
Last month, economist Don Drummond released a comprehensive report that included some 362 recommendations ranging from bigger class sizes, higher utility bills, new parking fees and higher drug bills in a bid to shave the province's costs.
